UEFA Champions League League Stage - 3
Athletic Club 3 - 1 FT Qarabag
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
38' ↓ I. Williams ↑A. Berenguer
40' G. Guruzeta (M. Jauregizar)
HT
↓ Pedro Bicalho ↑M. Jankovic 56'
↓ Leandro Andrade ↑E. Addai 56'
65' ↓ A. Gorosabel ↑J. Areso
65' ↓ A. Rego ↑I. Ruiz de Galarreta
65' ↓ N. Williams ↑R. Navarro
↓ C. Duran ↑O. Kashchuk 67'
↓ N. Akhundzade ↑T. Bayramov 67'
70' R. Navarro (A. Berenguer)
↓ Matheus Silva ↑Dani Bolt 79'
81' ↓ O. Sancet ↑M. Vesga
88' G. Guruzeta (M. Jauregizar)
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Athletic Club
Goalkeepers
U. Simon 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
A. Gorosabel
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
65
Total Mins
65
Entry
A. Paredes 
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
3
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
A. Laporte
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Y. Berchiche 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
49%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
A. Rego
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
65
Total Mins
65
Entry
M. Jauregizar
ARCHITECT
4
Key Passes
4
Key Passes
2
Assists
52%
Pass Acc
I. Williams
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
38
Total Mins
38
Entry
O. Sancet 
STORMTROOPER
3
Shots
3
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
N. Williams
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
65
Total Mins
65
Entry
Forwards
G. Guruzeta 
CLUTCH HERO
88
Goal Time
88
Goal Time
Goal
Impact
9.3
Rating
BENCH
A. Padilla 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
D. Vivian
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Areso
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
25
Total Mins
Started
Entry
I. Lekue
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Boiro
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Vesga
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
9
Total Mins
Started
Entry
I. Ruiz de Galarreta
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
25
Total Mins
Started
Entry
U. Gomez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
R. Navarro 
SUPER SUB
1
Goal
1
Goal
25
Minutes
7.7
Rating
A. Berenguer
SUPER SUB
1
Assist
1
Assist
52
Minutes
7.9
Rating
M. Sannadi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
N. Serrano
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Qarabag
Goalkeepers
M. Kochalski
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Matheus Silva
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
6
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
B. Mustafazada 
SHIELD
3
Blocks
3
Blocks
2
Interceptions
2
Tackles
K. Medina
SHIELD
3
Blocks
3
Blocks
1
Interceptions
2
Tackles
E. Cafarquliyev
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Midfielders
A. Zoubir
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Pedro Bicalho
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
56
Total Mins
56
Entry
Kady Borges 
SWEEPER
6
Cleanups
6
Cleanups
5
Interceptions
1
Blocks
C. Duran
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
67
Total Mins
67
Entry
Leandro Andrade 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Forwards
N. Akhundzade
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
67
Total Mins
67
Entry
BENCH
S. Mahammadaliyev
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
F. Buntic
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
S. Mmaee
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Dani Bolt
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
11
Total Mins
Started
Entry
T. Bayramov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
23
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Huseynov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
B. Huseynov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Chriso
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Jankovic
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
34
Total Mins
Started
Entry
O. Kashchuk
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
23
Total Mins
Started
Entry
E. Addai
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
34
Total Mins
Started
Entry
H. Cabrayilzada
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
League Standings
P: 3 GD: +10
P: 3 GD: +10
P: 3 GD: +9
P: 3 GD: +8
P: 3 GD: +7
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +4
P: 3 GD: +6
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +4
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -6
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: -7
P: 3 GD: -8
P: 3 GD: -5
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
Guruzeta's Masterclass Lights Up San Mamés as Athletic Club Stuns Qarabag
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 68/100. Athletic Club's 3-1 demolition of Qarabag transforms their Champions League campaign from survival mode into genuine contention, built on the clinical finishing of Gorka Guruzeta and the creative brilliance of Mikel Jauregizar.
The Blitzkrieg Begins
Qarabag arrived at San Mamés as the tournament's form team—sitting atop the league phase with 21 points from nine matches. That pedigree lasted exactly one minute. Leandro Andrade's early strike seemed to signal another dominant away performance, but Athletic Club had other plans. The Intensity from the home side was suffocating. Possession swung decisively in their favour (60% to 40%), and San Mamés became a fortress of relentless pressure.
Guruzeta's Two-Goal Reckoning
The turning point arrived in the 40th minute. Jauregizar orchestrated the move with surgical precision—four key passes deployed like a conductor's baton—before finding Guruzeta in space. The striker's first finish was clinical; his second, in the 88th minute, was pure predatory instinct. A 9.3 rating for Guruzeta tells only half the story. His movement in the box was suffocating Qarabag's defensive shape, forcing them into reactive rather than proactive defending. Yuri Berchiche anchored the left flank with a commanding display (8.2 rating), his two key passes initiating attacks that Athletic Club converted with ruthless efficiency.
The Data Story: Efficiency Over Dominance
Athletic Club's 21 shots generated an xG of 3.47—well above their 3-1 scoreline, yet they converted what mattered. Qarabag, despite their league-phase credentials, managed just 0.52 xG from nine attempts. Robert Navarro's 70th-minute goal, assisted by Alex Berenguer, punctured any hope of a Qarabag comeback. The Balance of the match had shifted irreversibly. Athletic Club's 85% pass accuracy (413 of 486) reflected control; Qarabag's 73% accuracy (246 of 336) reflected desperation.
What This Means
For Athletic Club, this victory is transformative. Three games, one win—now with a statement scalp. The Stakes of the Champions League are no longer abstract; they're tangible. For Qarabag, the loss exposes a fragility that their league-phase dominance had masked. European football punishes complacency. San Mamés was unforgiving.
Key Questions
What made Gorka Guruzeta the Man of the Match?
Two clinical finishes, relentless movement, and a 9.3 rating. Guruzeta's positioning suffocated Qarabag's defence and converted half-chances into goals.
How did Athletic Club dominate despite Qarabag's form?
Relentless pressure from minute one. 60% possession, 21 shots, and clinical finishing. Qarabag's 0.52 xG revealed they lacked cutting edge away from home.
What does this mean for Athletic Club's Champions League hopes?
A transformative win. From 1 win in 3 games to a scalp over the league-phase leaders. They're now genuine contenders, not survivors.
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.
European Survival at the Cathedral
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 58/100. With both teams currently languishing outside the safe zone, this match is a desperate scramble to secure a foothold in the race for the top-24 playoff positions.
The Setup
As we enter the third matchday on October 22, 2025, the Stakes could not be higher for Athletic Club. Sitting in 28th place with just five points from six matches, the Spanish side is struggling to find the Balance required for elite European competition. Their recent Form (DDLWL) reflects a lack of consistency that has left them chasing the pack. Visitors Qarabag arrive at San Mamés in slightly better standing, occupying 22nd place, but they remain precariously close to the elimination threshold. Despite showing occasional flashes of quality, both sides lack the presence of major Stars in the current stat leaderboards, making this a battle of collective will rather than individual brilliance.
Key Battle
The outcome will likely be decided by the tactical discipline of the home midfield against the opportunistic counter-attacking style of the Azerbaijani champions. Athletic must dominate possession to break down a defensive unit that has conceded 13 goals so far this season. The battle for the second ball in the middle of the park will determine which side can dictate the tempo and alleviate the pressure of their current league position.
Our Prediction
Athletic Club will look to use the intensity of the home crowd to overwhelm the visitors early on. While Qarabag has shown they can find the net, their defensive vulnerabilities often prove costly in high-pressure away fixtures. Expect a tight, nervous affair where the hosts eventually secure a 2-1 victory, hauling themselves back into the playoff conversation through sheer physical persistence.