Athletic Club 2-1 Mallorca Player Ratings: Inaki Williams Rated 8/10 as Late Drama Secures 2-1 Victory for Hosts

What a rollercoaster of a match in La Liga. From our perspective, the clash between Athletic Club and Mallorca at San Mamés Barria was a spectacle of raw emotion and high drama. It had everything you could ask for in a football match. The tension was palpable from the very first whistle.

The hosts, Athletic Club, burst out of the gates with intent. Their early pressure paid off when Martin Valjent made a clumsy challenge in the box, conceding a penalty. The ever-reliable Iñaki Williams coolly dispatched it, giving his side a deserved lead. At that moment, it felt like the floodgates might open.

However, Mallorca showed immense character to stay in the fight. Just as the game looked to be drifting, Samú Costa produced a moment of absolute magic, a long-range missile that found the top corner to level the scores. But the drama wasn't over. Substitute Alejandro Rego etched his name into the story of this match, scoring a late winner to send the home fans into ecstasy and break Mallorcan hearts.

Here are Athletic Club Vs Mallorca Player Ratings

Athletic Club Player Ratings vs Mallorca

Here are Athletic Club Player Ratings vs Mallorca

Goalkeeper

Unai Simón - 6.5: Had very little to do for large parts of the game. He made a smart save from a Martin Valjent shot in the second half. From our perspective, there was absolutely nothing he could have done about the stunning goal from Samú Costa. A fairly quiet day at the office otherwise.

Defenders

Dani Vivian - 7.0: A commanding presence at the back. He was strong in the air and made several crucial clearances to snuff out danger. Picked up a late yellow card which was a bit unnecessary. Overall, a very solid and dependable performance from the centre-back. We noticed his leadership throughout.

Jesús Areso - 7.5: A fantastic performance. He was a constant threat down the right flank with his overlapping runs and dangerous crosses. What stood out was his brilliant assist for the winning goal. Defensively, he was sound for the most part, though he also earned a booking.

Aymeric Laporte - 6.5: A mixed performance from the experienced defender. He made a couple of vital tackles and interceptions, showing his reading of the game. However, he also seemed to struggle at times with the physicality of Vedat Muriqi. Not his best day, but not his worst either.

Yuri Berchiche - 7.0: Tireless running up and down the left wing. He contributed well in attack, creating a couple of decent chances and getting into good positions. Defensively, he was diligent and won most of his duels. A very balanced and energetic display.

Midfielders

Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta - 6.5: Kept things ticking over in midfield without being spectacular. His passing was generally neat and tidy, helping Athletic Club control possession. He worked hard but was sometimes bypassed by Mallorca's counter-attacks. Substituted late on.

Mikel Jauregizar - 6.0: A frustrating game for the midfielder. He covered a lot of ground and was involved in the dirty work, but he struggled to impose himself. We noticed his frustration growing as the match went on, culminating in a late yellow card. A battling but ultimately ineffective performance.

Robert Navarro - 7.0: Looked very bright and creative, especially in the first half. He created three chances for his teammates and was a constant source of danger with his dribbling. His influence faded a bit in the second half before he was substituted. A promising outing.

Nico Serrano - 6.0: Had a few bright moments but struggled to make a real impact. He had several shots blocked and found it difficult to get the better of his marker. Worked hard for the team but lacked the final product before being taken off.

Forwards

Iñaki Williams - 8.0: Our Man of the Match. He was electric from the start, winning the penalty with his direct running. He showed great composure to convert it. He was a constant threat until an unfortunate injury forced him off early in the second half. His team missed his presence dearly after he left.

Gorka Guruzeta - 6.5: A hard-working shift up front. He linked up play well and created a couple of opportunities for his teammates. However, he didn't offer much of a goal threat himself. He was involved in a lot of physical duels, winning his fair share.

Substitutes

Nico Williams - 6.5: Came on for his injured brother and showed flashes of his talent. He was direct and caused some problems but couldn't find a decisive moment.

Alejandro Rego - 8.0: The hero of the hour. What an impact! He came off the bench and scored the winning goal with a clinical finish. You can't ask for more from a substitute. His goal was the difference-maker.

Maroan Sannadi - 6.0: Brought on to add energy and did just that, though without much attacking output.

Urko Izeta - N/A: Came on too late to make an impact.

Íñigo Lekue - N/A: Brought on in the final minutes to see the game out.

Manager

E. Valverde - 7.5: His game management was spot on. He identified the need for a change and his substitutions, particularly bringing on Alejandro Rego, won his team the game. He deserves credit for the bold move that paid off spectacularly. A tactical victory.

Mallorca Player Ratings vs Athletic Club

Here are Mallorca Player Ratings vs Athletic Club

Goalkeeper

Leo Román - 7.0: He was really impressive. Made three important saves to keep his side in the contest, including a great stop to deny Dani Vivian early on. He couldn't be faulted for either of the goals. Commanded his area well under pressure.

Defenders

Antonio Raíllo - 6.0: The captain had a tough battle all game. He was physically imposing and made a massive eight clearances. However, he also looked a bit rash at times, earning a yellow card. A committed but slightly erratic performance.

Johan Mojica - 7.5: An excellent all-round display from the left-back. He was a rock defensively, making ten clearances and winning most of his duels. He also got forward well, delivering some dangerous balls into the box. A standout performer for the visitors.

Pablo Maffeo - 6.5: A typically energetic performance. He was solid defensively, making some key tackles and interceptions. He tried to support the attack when he could. A reliable and hard-working shift from the right-back before being subbed off.

Martin Valjent - 5.0: A really poor day for the defender. His clumsy foul for the penalty put Mallorca on the back foot from the start. He never seemed to recover his composure after that early mistake. A performance he will want to forget quickly.

Midfielders

Manu Morlanes - 6.5: He was tidy in possession and worked hard to break up play in midfield. He won a good number of his tackles and tried to get his team moving forward. A decent but unspectacular performance before he was substituted.

Sergi Darder - 6.0: We expected more from him. He showed flashes of his quality and created one chance but was largely on the periphery of the game. He struggled to find space to influence the attack and picked up a yellow card for a frustrated foul.

Samú Costa - 8.5: Simply outstanding. He was the best player on the pitch for Mallorca by a country mile. His goal was an absolute stunner, a truly world-class strike. Beyond the goal, he was a dominant force in midfield, winning duels and recovering the ball. A complete performance.

Pablo Torre - 6.5: Showed some nice touches and created two chances for his teammates. He looked dangerous when he got on the ball. However, he drifted in and out of the game and was substituted in the second half. A promising but inconsistent display.

Marc Domènech - 5.5: A quiet game for the midfielder. He struggled to get involved in the play and offered little going forward or defensively. It wasn't a surprise to see him substituted. An anonymous performance.

Forwards

Vedat Muriqi - 6.0: A frustrating afternoon for the big striker. He was a physical handful as always and won a lot of aerial duels. But he was caught offside three times and missed a couple of half-chances. He worked hard but it just wasn't his day in front of goal.

Substitutes

Mateo Joseph - 7.0: Made a positive impact after coming on. He provided the assist for Samú Costa's wonder goal and looked lively. A very good cameo.

Javi Llabrés - 6.0: Brought some energy but was caught offside shortly after coming on and struggled to make a telling contribution.

Antonio Sánchez - 3.0: A disastrous substitute appearance. He came on, committed two fouls, and received two yellow cards in quick succession. He was sent off and left his team with ten men.

Toni Lato - N/A: Not enough time to make an impact.

Mateu Morey - N/A: Came on late and had little time to influence the game.

Manager

J. Arrasate - 6.5: His team showed great fight and resilience to get back into the game. His substitution to bring on Mateo Joseph worked perfectly. However, his team was ultimately undone by individual errors and a moment of late magic, something he couldn't control.

Sportsdunia Player of the Match is Iñaki Williams