Athletic Bilbao 1 - Villarreal 1

Athletic: Lafuente; Iraola, Murillo, Ustariz, Expósito (Casas 70'); Orbaiz, Gurpegui; Aduriz, Yeste, Etxeberría (Dañobeitia 75'); Urzaiz. 4-2-3-1.
Villarreal: Viera; Javi Venta (Josemi 54'), Peña, Gonzalo Rodríguez, Arruabarrena; Marcos Senna, Tacchinardi; Roger, José Marí (Guille Franco 77'), Sorín (Calleja 84'); Diego Forlán. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Athletic: Ustariz, Expósito, Urzaiz for Luis Prieto, Amorebieta, Dañobeitia / Villarreal: Sorín for Josico.

Goals:
1-0. 41. Aduriz. Collected pass from Yeste and turned to beat keeper.
1-1. 44. Diego Forlán. Cut in from left and fired shot under body of Lafuente.

Villarreal lost a bit of ground on the leading group after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao, although they were lucky to to come away with a point after the hosts missed an injury time penalty. Riquelme dropped out of Pellegrini's side again after returning for the midweek Champions League tie at Rangers, but Sorín was back after a lay-off for injury. Clemente returned to a four man defence after experimenting with three central defenders in previous games.

The game was preceded by a minute's silence for the league's all time top goalscorer Telmo Zarra, who died during the week at the ripe old age of 85. And for a few minutes the locals were inspired, Etxeberría and Iraola going just wide and Viera doing well to save a Yeste free kick.

The visitors could have taken the lead when an active Diego Forlán hit the side netting and then shot wide in front of goal. But four minutes before the break Aduriz picked up a pass from Yeste and turned to fire a shot past the keeper, helped on it's way by a slight deflection from a defender. The lead only lasted three minutes though before Forlán headed on a long pass and rolled a shot under the body of Lafuente.

There were more chances for either side in the second half, Viera saving a couple of efforts from Etxebería and Lafuente keeping out Forlán again. Roger blasted a long free kick over the top, and Aduriz fired wide across goal when free on the edge of the area in the last minute of normal time. Two minutes later referee Daudén Ibáñez awarded the Basque side a penalty after the ball hit Peña on the arm at close range, but Viera guessed right and saved Orbaiz's spot kick. Villarreal had another point in their fight to return to Europe, and Athletic drop back to the brink of the relegation zone once again.