Athletic: Iraizoz; Iraola, San José, Laporte, Balenziaga; Iturraspe, Mikel Rico; Susaeta (Ibai Gómez 49’), Ander Herrera, Muniain (De Marcos 60’); Aduríz (Kike Sola 74’). 4-2-3-1.
Almería: Esteban; Rafita, Trujillo, Torsiglieri, Dubarbier; Verza, Azeez; Aleix Vidal (Suso 66’), Soriano (Tébar 53’), Helder Barbosa; Oscar Díaz (Jonathan Zongo 53’). 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
1-0. 06. Mikel Rico. Fired angled shot past Esteban after Aduríz laid ball back.
2-0. 10. Ander Herrera. Collected Susaeta cross and struck shot past keeper.
3-0. 31. Laporte. Got above defence to head Susaeta corner back past keeper..
3-1. 34. Barbosa. Near post header across Iraizoz from wide Verza free kick.
4-1. 52. Aduríz. Volleyed shot in on far post after Ibai Gómez cross fell to him.
5-1. 68. Ibai Gómez. Picked up ball outside area and curled shot in to top corner.
6-1. 86. Ibai Gómez (penalty). After Trujillo pushed over Kike Sola inside area.
Yellow cards: San José 33’, Torsiglieri 35’, Mikel Rico 82’.
Athletic Bilbao made sure of fourth spot for another week after thrashing Almería 6-1 on Saturday afternoon. Following defeats in the league and cup in the last few days, Valverde’s team needed a result, and Mikel Rico put them ahead in only the sixth minute after running on to an Aduríz return pass to fire an angled shot past Esteban. Four minutes later Ander Herrera made it two after picking up a centre from Susaeta, and Laporte headed the third on the half hour mark from Susaeta’s corner. Hélder Barbosa headed one back for the visitors soon afterwards from Verza’s wide free kick, but Aduríz, Herrera and Iturraspe all went close again before the break, and some seven minutes after the restart Aduríz scored the fourth, volleying a shot past the keeper after Muniain was unable to control an Ibai Gómez cross. After that Ibai himself added two more, the first an impressive shot in to the far top corner of the net, and the second from the penalty spot after Trujillo pushed over Kike Sola in the area, to keep up Athletic’s unbeaten record in their new stadium.