Athletic Bilbao 3 - Atlético Madrid 4

Athletic: Lafuente; Javi González, Murillo, Luis Prieto, Larrazábal (Felipe 63'); Orbaiz, Bordas; Iraola, Julen Guerrero (Yeste 79'), Arriaga; Urzaiz (Ezquerro 68'). 4-2-3-1.
Atlético: Sergio Aragoneses; Aguilera, Lequi, García Calvo, Sergi; De los Santos (Jorge 91'); Novo (Simeone 88'), Paunovic, Ibagaza, Nano (Musampa 87'); Fernando Torres. 4-1-4-1.

Team changes: Athletic: Lafuente, Javi González, Larrazábal, Bordas, Julen Guerrero, Arriaga, Urzaiz for Aranzubia, Del Horno, Tiko, Etxeberría, Jonan García, Yeste, Ezquerro / Atlético: Novo, Ibagaza for Gaspar, Simeone.

Goals:
1-0. 19. Iraola. Controlled ball in and rounded keeper to score.
1-1. 24. Ibagaza. Ran on to Paunovic pass and fired shot into top corner of net.
1-2. 32. De los Santos. Headed over the defence from Ibagaza's corner.
1-3. 34. Fernando Torres. Ran through and hit long shot low past keeper.
2-3. 53. Arriaga. Cut through defence and curled shot wide of Aragoneses.
2-4. 82. Fernando Torres. Header down past keeper from Ibagaza corner.
3-4. 89. Arriaga. Connected with pass from Iraola to beat Aragoneses.

An exciting match at the San Mamés stadium, with Atlético Madrid coming out on top in a seven goal thriller but just missing out on the last UEFA cup spot. Gregorio Manzano's side were always up against it as they had to win and hope that Villarreal and Sevilla both didn't but in the end the Andalucians pipped them at the post thanks to their victory and a better head-to-head record against the Colchoneros.

Athletic had already secured their place in the UEFA cup a week ago, and they took the lead against the run of play when Iraola took advantage of a mistake by Lequi to beat Aragoneses. But the visitors turned the game around with three goals in ten minutes, Ibagaza starting things off with a powerful shot, De los Santos heading a second from a corner and Fernando Torres beating Lafuente with another long shot.

At half time the news was good from the other two grounds, and Atlético were in sixth spot. But ten minutes after the restart Arriaga pulled a goal back, and almost immediately information came through that Sevilla were in front. The visitors ploughed on desperately though, Fernando Torres getting a fourth goal for his side and then winning a penalty after Lafuente brought him down. The keeper foiled his hat-trick though saving the spot kick, and Arriaga gave the visiting fans a nervous last few minutes when he scored again.

Finally though it was all over, and Atlético end the season in seventh place. They now have to decide whether to accept the Spanish federation's offer of one of the two places in the Intertoto cup, which they may well do, but it was not what they wanted at the start of the day.