Athletic Club end Real Sociedad’s four-game winning run with disputed penalty in Bilbao derby

Athletic Club defeated Real Sociedad 2-1 at San Mamés on 1 November, halting their visitors' sequence of four consecutive league victories. According to Football España, all three goals arrived in the first half, with Nico Williams providing an assist for Athletic's opening goal. Luka Sučić equalised for Real Sociedad on the half-hour mark before a penalty decided the contest. A crowd of 50,092 witnessed the encounter.

Real Sociedad have formally disputed the penalty award, their official statement asserting it should never have been given. The club contended that contact data from the match ball's chip technology showed Jon Aramburu made contact with the ball rather than committing a foul on Williams. Real Sociedad criticised the Video Assistant Referee for failing to intervene and overturn the decision.

Pellegrino Matarazzo, Real Sociedad's head coach, echoed the club's position, stating the incident was clearly not a penalty. Matarazzo expressed confusion at VAR's non-intervention and was booked for dissent in the 65th minute. Referee Alejandro Hernandez issued four yellow cards to Real Sociedad compared to two for Athletic, with Mamadou Sarr receiving a caution for dissent one minute before his manager.

Possession statistics favoured the visitors, who completed 514 accurate passes against Athletic's 307, though this dominance did not prevent their defeat. Prior to the match, Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simón presented his Yashin Trophy to the home supporters. A minute's silence was also observed for victims of the Urda rail accident.

Athletic lost another striker to injury during the contest, though Football España did not specify which player or the severity of the injury.