In a match filled with excitement, Mallorca emerged victorious against Athletic Bilbao with a score of 3-2, thanks to an outstanding hat-trick from Vedat Muriqi on matchday 20. Muriqi not only secured the win but also captivated the home crowd with his performance, scoring two goals from open play and one from the penalty spot. His first goal came early in the match at the 4th minute, followed by another at the 41st minute, and he sealed his impressive performance with a penalty conversion at the 68th minute of the second half.
Athletic Bilbao fought back with goals from Unai Gómez at the 7th minute and Nico Williams just before halftime at the 44th minute, creating a competitive atmosphere at the Estadio Mallorca Son Moix.
Muriqi’s exceptional skills were evident as he added 7 shots on target and completed 12 successful passes, making him the standout player of the match. On the defensive end, Mallorca’s goalkeeper Leo Román played a crucial role by stopping 9 shots and making 26 accurate passes, helping to maintain their narrow lead.
The managerial strategies were on display, with Mallorca’s Jagoba Arrasate opting for a 4-5-1 formation, positioning Leo Román in goal and placing Muriqi as the sole striker. Athletic Bilbao, under Ernesto Valverde, also set up in a 4-5-1 layout, with Unai Simón protecting the net and Gorka Guruzeta leading the attack.
The match, officiated by José Guzmán Mansilla, saw several substitutions and disciplinary actions, including the expulsion of Gorka Guruzeta from Athletic Bilbao due to a second yellow card.
Moving forward, the Bermellones will face Atlético de Madrid in their next match, while the Leones will be aiming for redemption against Sevilla. Following this game, Mallorca sits at 13th place on the table with 21 points, while Athletic Bilbao remains in 8th place with 24 points.
Substitutions for Mallorca
72’ 2T – Mateo Joseph out for Antonio Sánchez
82’ 2T – Toni Lato out for Johan Mojica and Jan Virgili out for Pablo Torre
92’ 2T – Sergi Darder out for Javier Llabrés
Yellow Cards for Mallorca:
17’ 1T – Marash Kumbulla (for insulting or disapproving the referee)
Substitutions for Athletic Bilbao
58’ 2T – Unai Gómez out for Oihan Sancet and Álex Berenguer out for Iñaki Williams
71’ 2T – Nico Williams out for Robert Navarro
75’ 2T – Jesús Areso out for Andoni Gorosabel and Iñigo Ruiz out for Urko Izeta
Yellow Cards for Athletic Bilbao:
39’ 1T – Dani Vivian (unsportsmanlike conduct), 49’ 1T – Jesús Areso (holding the opponent to prevent advancement), 50’ 1T – Gorka Guruzeta (unsportsmanlike conduct), 50’ 1T – Iñigo Ruiz (insulting or disapproving the referee), 26’ 2T – Adama Boiro (insulting or disapproving the referee) and 27’ 2T – Oihan Sancet (insulting or disapproving the referee)
Red Cards for Athletic Bilbao:
24’ 2T – Gorka Guruzeta (second yellow), 25’ 2T – Unai Gómez (direct red) and 26’ 2T – Iñigo Lekue (direct red)