UEFA Champions League League Stage - 7
Atalanta 2 - 3 FT Athletic Club
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
16' G. Scamacca (N. Zalewski)
D. Vivian 22'
HT
↓ A. Boiro ↑O. Sancet 46'
M. Jauregizar 54'
G. Guruzeta (R. Navarro) 58'
↓ A. Rego ↑I. Ruiz de Galarreta 59'
↓ M. Jauregizar ↑M. Vesga 59'
66' ↓ N. Zalewski ↑A. Lookman
66' ↓ G. Scamacca ↑N. Krstovic
↓ U. Gomez ↑N. Serrano 68'
N. Serrano (R. Navarro) 70'
R. Navarro (O. Sancet) 74'
76' ↓ S. Kolasinac ↑H. Ahanor
76' ↓ D. Zappacosta ↑L. Samardzic
↓ A. Gorosabel ↑J. Areso 81'
82' ↓ L. Bernasconi ↑K. Sulemana
88' N. Krstovic (A. Lookman)
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Atalanta
Goalkeepers
Marco Carnesecchi 
SIEVE
0%
Save %
0%
Save %
3
Conceded
0
Saves
Defenders
Odilon Kossounou 
MAGNET
85
Activity
85
Activity
79
Passes
6
Duels
Berat Djimsiti
MAGNET
114
Activity
114
Activity
109
Passes
5
Duels
Sead Kolašinac 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Midfielders
Davide Zappacosta
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Marten de Roon
MAGNET
94
Activity
94
Activity
86
Passes
8
Duels
Éderson
MAGNET
82
Activity
82
Activity
68
Passes
14
Duels
Lorenzo Bernasconi 
LATE SHIFT
8
Late Mins
8
Late Mins
82
Total Mins
82
Entry
Forwards
Charles De Ketelaere 
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
30%
Pass Acc
Nicola Zalewski
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
1
Assists
12%
Pass Acc
Gianluca Scamacca 
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
BENCH
Francesco Rossi 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Marco Sportiello
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Isak Hien
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Giorgio Scalvini
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Honest Ahanor
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Yunus Musah
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mario Pašalić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lazar Samardžić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
16
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ademola Lookman 
SUPER SUB
1
Assist
1
Assist
27
Minutes
7.3
Rating
Nikola Krstović 
CLUTCH HERO
88
Goal Time
88
Goal Time
Goal
Impact
7.2
Rating
Kamaldeen Sulemana
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
10
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Daniel Maldini
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Athletic Club
Goalkeepers
Unai Simón 
PROVOCATEUR
1
Fouls Won
1
Fouls Won
1
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Defenders
Íñigo Lekue
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
92
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Daniel Vivian
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
92
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Aitor Paredes
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
92
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Andoni Gorosabel
LATE SHIFT
9
Late Mins
9
Late Mins
81
Total Mins
81
Entry
Alejandro Rego
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
59
Total Mins
59
Entry
Mikel Jauregizar
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
59
Total Mins
59
Entry
Adama Boiro
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
Forwards
Gorka Guruzeta
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
Robert Navarro
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Unai Gómez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
68
Entry
BENCH
Mikel Santos
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Alex Padilla
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Jesús Areso
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
11
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jon de Luis
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Oihan Sancet
SUPER SUB
1
Assist
1
Assist
47
Minutes
6.5
Rating
Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
33
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mikel Vesga
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
33
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ibon Sánchez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Selton Sanchez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nico Serrano
SUPER SUB
1
Goal
1
Goal
24
Minutes
7.3
Rating
Adrian Perez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Asier Hierro
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
League Standings
P: 7 GD: +18
P: 7 GD: +13
P: 7 GD: +11
P: 7 GD: +6
P: 7 GD: +8
P: 7 GD: +10
P: 7 GD: +10
P: 7 GD: +6
P: 7 GD: +5
P: 7 GD: +5
P: 7 GD: +4
P: 7 GD: +3
P: 7 GD: +1
P: 7 GD: +6
P: 7 GD: +4
P: 7 GD: +4
P: 7 GD: 0
P: 7 GD: -2
P: 7 GD: 0
P: 7 GD: -4
P: 7 GD: -6
P: 7 GD: +1
P: 7 GD: -4
P: 7 GD: -5
P: 7 GD: -5
P: 7 GD: -6
P: 7 GD: -5
P: 7 GD: -2
P: 7 GD: -4
P: 7 GD: -6
P: 7 GD: -10
P: 7 GD: -12
P: 7 GD: -9
P: 7 GD: -11
P: 7 GD: -10
League Standings
P: 8 GD: +19
P: 8 GD: +14
P: 8 GD: +12
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +7
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +9
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +4
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -8
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: -9
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: -5
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -9
P: 8 GD: -13
P: 8 GD: -11
P: 8 GD: -14
P: 8 GD: -13
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Navarro Orchestrates Stunning Smash-and-Grab at New Balance Arena
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 69/100. This was a tactical masterclass in efficiency as Athletic Club overcame a massive 35% probability gap to stun their dominant hosts in the Champions League.
The Italian Siege
The match began with Atalanta asserting an iron grip on the proceedings, suffocating the visitors with a relentless high press. Controlling possession with 70% of the ball, the Italians looked every bit the favorites as they moved the spheres with surgical precision. The early pressure paid dividends in the 16th minute when N. Zalewski carved open the defense with a visionary pass, finding G. Scamacca who finished with clinical composure. The Intensity of the home side suggested a long night for the Basques, as the Italians peppered the goal with 13 total shots. However, while the hosts dominated the territory, they failed to convert their territorial Balance into a wider margin, leaving the door ajar for a clinical counter-offensive from the Spanish outfit.
The Navarro Hurricane
The complexion of the match shifted dramatically after the interval as Athletic Club staged a comeback for the ages. The protagonist was undoubtedly Robert Navarro, who began pulling the strings with world-class quality. In the 58th minute, Navarro delivered a pinpoint assist for G. Guruzeta to level the scores. The momentum had swung, and the Upset Factor began to crystallize. Only twelve minutes later, Navarro turned provider again, this time setting up substitute N. Serrano to stun the New Balance Arena crowd. Not content with two assists, Navarro then capped off his legendary evening by finding the net himself in the 74th minute after a clever exchange with O. Sancet, leaving the Italian giants reeling from a three-goal blitz.
A Defiant Stand
Facing a two-goal deficit and fading Stakes, the home side threw everything forward in a desperate attempt to salvage a point. The introduction of A. Lookman provided a spark of hope, and his creative vision eventually found N. Krstovic for a late strike in the 88th minute. Despite the frantic finish, the visitors held their nerve to secure a famous victory. The final whistle confirmed a classic Champions League heist; despite losing the shot count 13 to 4, the Spanish side proved that quality in the final third outweighs quantity. For the Italians, 651 passes and total dominance counted for nothing against a side that took every single chance that fell their way in a night of pure European drama.
Key Questions
What made Robert Navarro the Man of the Match?
Navarro was unstoppable, contributing directly to all three goals with one strike and two assists to dismantle the Italian defense.
What caused the 5-goal thriller?
A combination of Atalanta’s high-volume attacking siege and Athletic Club’s ruthless clinical finishing on the counter created a back-and-forth spectacle.
How did Atalanta complete the comeback from behind?
They didn't. Although Krstovic scored late to make it 2-3, the hosts couldn't find a third goal to finalize the recovery.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Atalanta Target Top-Eight Against Reeling Athletic
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 48/100. A high-stakes tactical clash where Atalanta's offensive precision meets an Athletic Club side desperate to stay above the elimination line.
The Setup
The Stakes could not be more contrasting as we head to the New Balance Arena on January 21. Atalanta enter this match in 5th place, firmly within the bracket for direct qualification to the round of 16. Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have found an incredible Balance, losing only once in their first six games. In stark contrast, Athletic Club find themselves languishing in 28th place. For the Basque side, this isn't just a match; it is a battle for survival. Sitting four spots below the playoff line, they need a monumental shift in Form to avoid an early exit from the competition.
Key Battle
The most intriguing duel features Charles De Ketelaere operating in those dangerous half-spaces against the veteran presence of Yuri Berchiche. De Ketelaere has been one of the tournament's brightest Stars lately, contributing two goals and two assists in his last four outings. If Berchiche cannot track his late runs and drifting movement, the home side will likely slice through the Athletic defensive line with ease.
Our Prediction
Atalanta are the heavy favorites with a 50.1% win probability, and their home dominance should tell. We expect a disciplined 2-0 victory for the Italians. The game script will likely involve Atalanta controlling the tempo through Mario Pašalić in midfield, while Marco Carnesecchi—who has 16 saves this campaign—is poised to neutralize any counter-attacks led by Nico Williams. Athletic’s lack of clinical finishing will likely be their undoing against such a structured unit.