Athletic Bilbao 0 - Villarreal 1

Athletic: Aranzubia; Expósito, Sarriegui, Amorebieta, Casas; Iraola, Murillo; Etxeberría (Aduriz 61'), Javi Martínez, Gabilondo (Yeste 61'); Urzaiz. 4-2-3-1.
Villarreal: Viera; Josemi, Fuentes, Cygan, José Enrique; Marcos Senna, Josico (Samoza 61'); Cani, Matias Fernández (Tacchinardi 90'), Marcos (Bruno 61'); Diego Forlán. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Athletic: Amorebieta, Etxeberría, Gabilondo for Luis Prieto, Yeste, Garmendia / Villarreal: Viera, Cygan, José Enrique, Marcos for Barbosa, Peña, Arruabarrena, Guille Franco.

Goals:
0-1. 70. Diego Forlán. Picked up long Samoza cross and scored from wide angle.

Athletic Bilbao ended the weekend just two points outside of the drop zone after losing 0-1 at home to Villarreal, their first defeat in five games. They would have saved a point though had Viera not saved a last second Yeste penalty after Josemi handled in the area, curiously a carbon copy of the match between the two sides a year ago when the keeper saved a spot kick from Orbaiz.

Pellegrini's side had been looking for their 100th victory in the first division for the last five games, but with Riquelme still left out of the squad after falling out with the club they hardly approached Aranzubia's goal throughout the first half. And they were thankful to go in at the break on level terms after Gabilondo shot just wide and Cygan cleared off the line from Iraola.

The visitors went ahead though midway through the second half when Matias Fernández and Somoza set up Diego Forlán for him to beat the keeper from a wide angle, referee Teixeira Vitienes turning down claims that Fuentes was in a positional offside. Aduríz shot wide and Urzaiz headed just over the bar as Athletic pushed for the equaliser, but Aranzubia had to keep out Forlán before history repeated itself with that final penalty.