Valencia 2-0 Athletic Club Player Ratings: Baptiste Santamaria 9/10 Rated as Valencia Clinch Dominant 2-0 Victory

Athletic Club absolutely dominated the first period. They peppered the Valencia goal with shots. Oihan Sancet and Inaki Williams looked particularly dangerous. But they found an immovable object in goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala, who pulled off a string of fantastic saves. He single-handedly kept the home side in the match. The first half ended goalless, but it felt like a matter of time before the visitors would score.

Everything changed after the break. The turning point, without a doubt, was the red card shown to Dani Vivian. It was a moment of madness that completely shifted the game's momentum. Suddenly, Valencia found space and grew in confidence. They finally broke the deadlock through a brilliant header from Baptiste Santamaria in the 73rd minute. The floodgates felt open after that, and substitute Hugo Duro sealed the 2-0 win in stoppage time. It was a clinical and ruthless second-half performance from Valencia, a real smash-and-grab after being on the ropes for so long in this La Liga clash. Here are the Valencia vs Athletic Club player ratings.

Valencia Player Ratings vs Athletic Club

Here are the Valencia player ratings vs Athletic City.

Goalkeeper

Julen Agirrezabala - 8.0: What a rock. He was the only reason Valencia were still in the game at halftime. Made an incredible six saves, several of them top-class stops to deny Sancet and Williams. What stood out to us was his commanding presence and bravery. He just seemed to absorb every shot that came his way. A truly outstanding performance that gave his team the platform to win.

Defenders

Mouctar Diakhaby - 7.5: A solid and composed display at the back. He was a beast in the air, winning four of his five aerial duels, which was crucial against Athletic's attacks. We noticed he was calm on the ball too, with a 90% pass accuracy. He even ventured forward and had a couple of shots himself. Really strong game.

César Tárrega - 8.0: Immense performance from the young defender. He won a staggering 8 out of 10 duels and made four crucial tackles. His reading of the game was sublime, with six clearances and two interceptions. He looked like a seasoned veteran, not flustered by Athletic's early pressure. A real standout at the back.

José Gayà - 6.5: The captain had a mixed evening. He was solid defensively for the most part, winning all his duels and making some important recoveries. However, he picked up a needless yellow card and his influence going forward was limited. He was subbed off with about twenty minutes to go.

Dimitri Foulquier - 7.0: A tireless worker on the right flank. Defensively, he was very sharp, making four interceptions. What we really liked was his contribution in attack; he created a big chance and his crossing was effective. A very balanced and energetic display from him.

Midfielders

Javi Guerra - 7.5: A very influential game from the midfielder. He provided the crucial assist for the opening goal with a perfectly delivered cross. He was a creative spark, but on the flip side, he lost possession a lot. It was a high-risk, high-reward performance that ultimately paid off for his team.

Luis Rioja - 6.0: A frustrating night for Rioja. He worked hard but struggled to make a real impact on the game. He missed a big chance that he really should have done better with. From our perspective, he looked a little off the pace before being substituted.

Diego López - 7.0: He was busy and involved all over the pitch. His stats show a player who contributed in every phase of play, two tackles won, three interceptions and he created a chance. A really solid, all-action performance before he was taken off.

Baptiste Santamaria - 9.0: The undisputed man of the match. An absolutely phenomenal performance that had everything. He scored the vital opening goal with a powerful header. Then he set up the second goal for Hugo Duro. He was everywhere, breaking up play, driving forward, and deciding the game. A complete midfield masterclass.

Forwards

Arnaut Danjuma - 5.5: A really poor showing. He was practically invisible for the 80 minutes he was on the pitch, managing only 15 touches. He lost the ball far too often and offered absolutely no threat. A very disappointing outing, we expected so much more from him.

Dani Raba - 6.0: He tried to make things happen but it just wasn't his night. He showed some nice touches and successful dribbles but ultimately his final product was lacking. He was subbed off just after the hour mark as Valencia searched for a breakthrough.

Substitutes

Hugo Duro - 7.5: The perfect impact sub. Came on and immediately added a presence up front. He was rewarded for his hard work with a goal in stoppage time that killed the game off. Exactly what you want from your substitute striker.

Largie Ramazani - 6.5: Looked bright and dangerous after coming on. His pace troubled the tiring Athletic defence and he wasn't afraid to have a shot. A lively cameo.

Jesús Vázquez - 6.5: Slotted in seamlessly for Gayà at left-back. He was defensively sound and even got forward to support the attack late in the game.

Lucas Beltrán - 6.5: Added some fresh legs and energy to the attack, helping to create a late chance for Guerra.

André Almeida - N/A: Brought on for the final ten minutes with the game already swinging Valencia's way.

Manager

C. Corberán Vallet - 8.0: His team was second best in the first half but he didn't panic. He kept his side organised and they weathered the storm. His second-half substitutions were spot on. Duro scoring the second goal was the icing on the cake. A tactical victory for the Valencia boss.

Athletic Club Player Ratings vs Valencia

Here are the Athletic Club player ratings vs Valencia.

Goalkeeper

Unai Simón - 6.0: He couldn't do much about either of the goals. He made a few decent saves, including a great one to deny Diakhaby. However, conceding two goals and being on the losing team always makes for a tough rating. A standard day at the office that ended in disappointment.

Defenders

Dani Vivian - 4.0: The game's villain. His team was in control until his moment of madness. Getting a red card just before the hour mark was completely unforgivable and it cost his team the match. There's no other way to put it, he let his teammates down badly.

Aitor Paredes - 6.5: He fought a losing battle after his partner was sent off. He made a number of clearances and won most of his duels, but was left exposed for both goals. A valiant effort in a difficult situation. He didn't do much wrong personally.

Jesús Areso - 5.5: He struggled to cope with Valencia's wide players in the second half. He lost possession far too many times, putting his team under unnecessary pressure. He offered little going forward, a performance he will want to forget.

Yuri Berchiche - 6.0: Tidy on the ball with an excellent pass completion rate. He also recovered the ball an impressive 12 times. However, he was part of a defence that ultimately capitulated in the final twenty minutes. Solid but not spectacular.

Midfielders

Álex Berenguer - 6.5: He looked lively and created a couple of good chances in the first half. He was a constant outlet on the wing, but his influence waned. He was surprisingly substituted just after the red card, a decision that seemed tactical.

Oihan Sancet - 7.0: In the first half, he was the best player on the pitch. He was a nightmare for the Valencia defence, with four shots and constant intelligent movement. After the red card, his impact completely disappeared as his team was forced to defend. A tale of two halves for him.

Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta - 6.5: A tidy and controlled performance in the heart of midfield. He kept the ball moving well and was strong in the air. He did his job effectively until he was substituted as his manager tried to chase the game.

Mikel Jauregizar - 6.0: A combative display but he was often fighting a losing battle, especially in the second half. He was dribbled past four times and struggled to contain Valencia's midfield runners. He worked hard but was ultimately outplayed.

Robert Navarro - 5.5: He picked up an early yellow card and seemed to play within himself after that. He created a couple of chances but was largely ineffective and lost possession too easily. Not a surprise to see him substituted.

Forwards

Iñaki Williams - 6.0: The captain looked threatening in the first half and forced a couple of good saves from the keeper. But he was completely isolated after the red card. He spent the last half an hour chasing shadows and feeding on scraps. A frustrating evening for the frontman.

Substitutes

Aymeric Laporte - 5.5: Thrown on to fill the gap left by Vivian's red card. It was a tough situation to come into and he couldn't stop the tide turning against his team.

Mikel Vesga - 6.0: Brought on to add some steel to the midfield but Valencia were already in control by the time he came on.

Maroan Sannadi - N/A: Came on late with his team chasing the game, had little time to make an impact.

Unai Gómez - N/A: A late substitute with the game already lost.

Alejandro Rego - N/A: Another late substitute who had no time to influence proceedings.

Manager

E. Valverde - 5.5: His game plan was working perfectly for 60 minutes. His team was dominant and looked certain to score. However, he had no answer once his side went down to 10 men. His substitutions failed to change the course of the match, and his team limped to a disappointing defeat.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match is Baptiste Santamaria