Villarreal vs Athletic 2019-20: an Unai Simón masterclass

On Tuesday 22nd at 22:00 CET, Athletic Club take on Villarreal CF at the Estadio de la Cerámica. It will be the lions’ final fixture before Christmas, and after beating SD Huesca 2-0 at San Mamés last Friday, Gaizka Garitano’s side will be looking to keep the festive spirits high.

In the same fixture last season, Athletic earned a solid point against the Yellows. It was the second match in a run which saw the lions go undefeated over five games.

The game stood out due to the lions’ fine defensive performance, which in large part came down to goalkeeper Unai Simón‘s refusal to concede.

In addition to a string of acrobatic saves, Simón put his body on the line to frustrate Villarreal and keep a clean sheet, at one point even blocking a shot with his head.

The point also helped to keep Athletic’s recent good form at la Cerámica going. Over the last three seasons, the lions have not lost at Villarreal’s home turf, managing one win and two draws.