

After a 0-0 stalemate at the Estadio de la Ceramica on Sunday, Athletic Bilbao kept their six-point lead over fifth-place Villarreal in La Liga. Following Pape Gueye's dismissal for a shoddy challenge on Maroan Sannadi, Villarreal had to play the remaining minutes with ten men. After being located by Santi Comesana, Ayoze Perez had the first opportunity and hit a volley directly at Unai Simon.
Villarreal kept having the majority of the game's opportunities. Simon was next put to the test by Tajon Buchanan, but the Spanish number one thwarted his stinging attempt. Thierno Barry should have put the hosts ahead in the 68th minute, but the forward was unable to turn Gerard Moreno's teasing cross into an empty net. Barry made no mistake for what he thought would be the opener soon after, but the goal was ruled out for handball in the build-up following a VAR review.