Nico Williams Shines in Athletic Bilbao's 3-0 Victory Over Atletico Madrid

Nico Williams lit up San Mames and tore into Atletico Madrid, driving Athletic Bilbao to a statement 3-0 win and a second straight La Liga victory.

On a night thick with noise and nerve in Bilbao, it took just one explosive minute after the break to rip the game away from Diego Simeone’s side.

Williams brothers ignite San Mames

The breakthrough came from a familiar source – and a familiar connection.

A shot from Inaki Williams ricocheted into the heart of the box, hanging in the air just long enough for Nico to attack it. He didn’t hesitate. He buried the header, launching himself into the roar of San Mames and putting Athletic in front.

Atletico barely had time to reset.

Seconds later, the Williams brothers were at it again, this time in full flight on the counter. Nico drove forward, Inaki joined him, and the move sliced straight through Atletico’s shape. The ball was shifted to Robert Navarro, who finished off the move to make it 2-0 and send the stadium into a frenzy.

From a tight, tense contest to total control in the blink of an eye.

Oihan Sancet later added a third to cap the night, a late strike that underlined the dominance and turned a big win into a rout.

Nico’s drought ends – and the praise flows

For Nico, the opener carried extra weight. It was his first league goal since May, when he scored twice against Alaves. The wait clearly mattered, but his focus after the final whistle went elsewhere.

He pointed straight to the touchline.

“The manager we have is spectacular, and you can see it on the pitch,” Nico said, crediting head coach Edin Terzic for reshaping the side. “He's instilled many new things in us that we're grasping perfectly.”

The turning point, in his eyes, came away from the cameras.

“In the second half, he really got us into the game with a great talk in the locker room,” Nico added. “We're very happy with the manager's style of play.”

The words matched what unfolded on the grass: a team that emerged from the break sharper, braver, and far more ruthless.

Terzic’s tactical stamp

Terzic, who has wasted no time imposing his ideas, cut a satisfied figure as he reflected on a game plan executed against one of Spain’s most hardened opponents.

He hailed the San Mames crowd, whose energy fed into Athletic’s relentless second-half surge, and highlighted how his players responded to early adversity. Kang-In Lee had already rattled the post, a warning that could have unsettled a less assured side.

Instead, Athletic adjusted. As Atletico tweaked their approach, the hosts responded by shifting into a back three after the interval, tightening their grip and blunting Simeone’s tactical changes. The structure gave them security at the back and freedom to break with conviction.

“I see a team that’s always ready to fight for victory,” Terzic said. “For me, the most important thing has been how we reacted... we showed real courage.”

That reaction turned a dangerous fixture into a showcase of control, resilience, and ambition.

Momentum builds in Bilbao

The result delivers back-to-back league wins for Athletic Bilbao and something even more valuable: belief.

Nico stressed how this victory, coming on the heels of a strong away result, has deepened the squad’s trust in Terzic’s long-term vision. The ideas are landing. The performances are following.

There is no time for celebration, at least not for long. Terzic made it clear the focus snaps immediately to Saturday’s league clash with Elche CF, another chance to harden this growing momentum.

Two wins, three goals against Atletico, San Mames bouncing, and a young star rediscovering the net under a coach he clearly believes in.

The question now is simple: how far can this version of Athletic go if they keep playing with this kind of courage?