Nico Williams' Athletic Club beat a brave Rayo Vallecano and joins the leading group.

Athletic needed another notable performance from Nico Williams , already decisive in the opening match against Sevilla, and the effectiveness of Oihan Sancet , who returned in the second half, to overcome a Rayo Vallecano side that was the better side in certain phases of the match. The victim of a penalty awarded by Gumbau , which the referee awarded after consulting with VAR, the Navarrese-born attacking midfielder took it upon himself to convert it to seal his happy return to the pitch. Valverde revitalized the team with his substitutions against an opponent that lost momentum as the match wore on and faltered in its ability to play the ball out from the back. One of those concessions led to the penalty that decided the match. Athletic joins Villarreal, Barcelona, ​​and Real Madrid, the only teams to have collected six points.

There's a tendency to be carefree among some of the smaller teams in La Liga, if Rayo Vallecano can be called such. After a brilliant season, this Thursday they will be looking for a place in the group stage of the Liga Conferencia in the return leg against Neman Grodno of Belarus. The team, coached by Iñigo Pérez with his own stamp, went to San Mamés without caring about the opponent or the venue, just as Elche did in their own way, and successfully, this past Saturday at the Metropolitano against Atlético de Madrid.

Athletic took a while to shake off Rayo Vallecano's pressure, which came close to resulting in a goal in the second minute after Jauregizar missed a pass and De Frutos caught Unai Simón off guard. The intermittent revival of the Basque side came from Nico Williams , whose skill earned Ratiu a yellow card and tested Batalla with a shot from outside the area.

Renewed illusion

After a demanding season, with the added responsibility of playing in the Europa League final at San Mamés, Athletic, then stuck in the semifinals against Manchester United, has renewed its enthusiasm by elevating its presence on the continent, as this Thursday it will find out its first Champions League opponents.

Having failed to sign for Barcelona, ​​Nico is, even more than in previous years, the cornerstone of a stimulating and cohesive project, which has Sancet as one of its core players. Valverde sought a solution by bringing him on after the break to replace Maroan .

A connection between the Williams players, which ended with Iñaki firing wide, could have given Athletic the lead, and they came out with more energy after the restart. Once again, Nico, with a slightly centered right-footed shot, caught Batalla's attention. These were clear signs of how the match had changed. Sancet, relevant and prolific last season despite his physical problems, decided the game. He was ready to once again lend his support to Nico's Athletic team, MVP for the second consecutive matchday and once again cheered by the crowd when he was substituted shortly before the end.