La Liga! Atletico Madrid suffer 0-3 defeat to Athletic Bilbao, three players singled out after the match for poor performances

On the evening of September 5 Beijing time, the fourth round of La Liga matches concluded. Atletico Madrid traveled away to San Mames Stadium. The team faced Athletic Bilbao in this match. After 90 minutes, Atletico's overall form was poor. The team had many problems in both attack and defense. Atletico eventually lost the match 0-3. The team suffered its first defeat of the new season.

Atletico Madrid remained unbeaten in the first three matches of the new season. The team had performed steadily in the early stages. However, their form dropped significantly in this away match. Athletic Bilbao performed consistently and secured two consecutive league victories. The first half proceeded at a steady pace. Both teams attempted attacks several times, but neither scored. Lee Kang-in completed a shot that hit the post and bounced away. The team missed a scoring opportunity. The first half ended 0-0. After the second half began, Athletic Bilbao quickly adjusted their form. The team scored two goals in succession. Atletico's rhythm was disrupted. In the final stages of the match, Bilbao scored another goal to seal the victory. Alvarez came on as a substitute. The player fought hard but could not change the result.

First: Barrios

Barrios started the match as a midfielder. Near the end of the first half, he had a good shooting opportunity. The shot hit the post and bounced away. The team failed to take the lead in the first half. Throughout the match, Barrios did not perform well. His midfield interceptions were ineffective. He could not stop the opponent's central attacks. His regular passing often made mistakes. The team's midfield connection became disconnected. The opponent could easily break through the midfield defense. Atletico's second-half collapse was closely related to Barrios' poor performance. He did not complete his defensive and linking duties in midfield.

Second: Hancko

Hancko started the match as a defender. His defensive performance did not meet the required standard. Athletic Bilbao's forwards repeatedly attacked his defensive area. His movement and defensive responses were very passive. When the first goal was conceded, he failed to closely mark the attacking player. The opponent easily finished the chance with a close-range goal. When the second goal was conceded, his recovery speed was slow. The opponent easily escaped the defense and completed a shot. His positioning and judgment made several mistakes. The defensive line's weaknesses continued to be exposed. He was one of the main reasons the team conceded goals quickly.

Third: Baena

Baena started the match as an attacking player. His overall performance was very ordinary. At the start of the match, he attempted a long-range lob, but the ball did not hit the target. During the rest of the match, he had almost no impact on the field. His ball progression was easily intercepted by opponents. His decision-making with the ball was too slow. He failed to deliver threatening passes. The team's attack lacked a driving force in the final third. During defensive phases, he did not provide enough recovery runs. When the team fell behind, he did not step up to help the side. He showed no outstanding performance in either attack or defense.

To be fair, this 0-3 away defeat exposed many problems for Atletico Madrid. The team was unlucky in the first half and missed scoring chances. The team failed to capitalize on its advantages on the pitch. The players' mentality fluctuated in the second half. The overall condition of the players declined. The problems accumulated by the team during matches were fully revealed. There are wins and losses in football. Players need to face their own weaknesses. They need to carefully review their mistakes. If the team adjusts its form in time, it can regain its rhythm in future matches.

What do you think? Who bears the most responsibility for Atletico Madrid's heavy defeat in this match?