Athletic Bilbao 1 - Atlético Madrid 0

Athletic: Aranzubia; Javi González, Karanka, Luis Prieto, Del Horno; Gurpegui (Aitor Ocio 62'), Alkiza; Tiko (Yeste 82'), Ezquerro, Arriaga (Murillo 90'); Urzaiz. 4-2-3-1.
Atlético: Esteban; Contra, Coloccini, Hibic, Sergi; Emerson, Movilla; José Mari (Javi Moreno 58'), Jorge (Stankovic 75'), Luis García (Aguilera 70'); Fernando Torres. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Athletic: Karanka, Gurpegui, Alkiza, Urzaiz for Murillo, Aitor Ocio, Oskar Vales, Joseba Etxeberría / Atlético: Emerson for Albertini.

Goals:
1-0. 83. Ezquerro. collected Yeste pass on left of area and shot past Esteban.

Athletic Bilbao beat Atlético Madrid 1-0 thanks to a late Ezquerro goal, and close to within three points of their opponents. The big news for the Basque side was the return of Gurpegui after the footballing authorities decided to allow him to play pending his drug hearing, and Heynckes immediately included him in his starting line up, his first game in three months. Urzaiz also returned, although Etxeberría was out following his injury playing for Spain midweek.

The home side came closest to scoring in the first half, Urzaiz hitting the bar following a corner and Ezquerro shooting just wide. Aranzubia had to be at his best though to keep out efforts from Jorge and Sergi. The creative football dried up after the break though, and the game appeared to be heading for a draw when Heyckes brought on Yeste. With his first touch he produced a brilliant run before finding Ezquerro for him to blast the ball wide of Esteban for the only goal of the game. Atlético ended the game with ten men after Contra was sent off after picking up a second yellow card, and the defeat meant that Luis Aragones' side ended the weekend out of the top six for the first time in a month.