Atlético Madrid's Collapse in Bilbao: Lee Kang-in's Bright Start Fades

Atlético Madrid walked out of San Mamés with a 0–3 defeat and a long list of questions, on a night when their brightest early spark, Lee Kang-in, lasted less than an hour.

The South Korean midfielder started for the visitors in the fourth round of the Spanish league and was taken off in the 58th minute, his influence fading after a lively opening.

Lee’s Near-Moment in a Brutal Night

For a few minutes, Atlético looked like they might set the tone. Lee Kang-in drifted into space, demanded the ball, and almost silenced the home crowd.

His best moment came when he cut inside and unleashed a right-footed strike that beat the goalkeeper but not the frame of the goal, crashing off the post. It was one of two Atlético efforts that hit the woodwork in the first half, a reminder that the visitors did have chances before the evening turned sour.

Spanish outlet El Desmarque handed Lee a rating of 5, noting his energetic start and composure on the ball in the move that led to his shot off the post. But as the game wore on and Atlético’s grip on midfield loosened, his impact shrank, and with it any real threat from the visitors.

From Woodwork to Meltdown

The first half offered encouragement: Atlético created, pressed, and twice rattled the frame of the goal. They went into the break still in the game, still believing.

Then came the second half. And with it, the collapse.

Three goals conceded after the interval told the story. Defensive errors, highlighted by the same source, opened the door for Athletic Bilbao, who punished every lapse. Atlético’s back line, solid early on, unravelled as the hosts found space and confidence.

San Mamés roared. Atlético had no answer.

Ratings Reflect a Fractured Performance

El Desmarque’s player ratings painted a clear picture of a team split between early resilience and second-half disarray.

• Marc Pubill, Morten Hjulmand, Pablo Barrios and Álex Baena received the highest marks in the Atlético side, each earning a 6. Pubill was praised for his defensive work in the first half, while Hjulmand and Barrios were credited for their steady presence in midfield. Baena’s attempts to generate danger with his shooting earned him the same score, even if nothing ultimately came off.
• At the other end of the scale, Jan Oblak and Álex Grimaldo were both given 3. Oblak, according to the rating, did not register a single save on the night, a brutal statistic in a three-goal defeat. Grimaldo struggled badly in his duel with Robert Navarro, a battle he never truly managed to control.
• Ademola Lookman and Giuliano Simeone also came away with 3, their contributions limited in a game that slipped away from Atlético after the break. Marcos Llorente fared slightly better with a 4, but it was still a subdued outing by his standards.
• Cristian Romero, making his Atlético debut after coming off the bench, received a 5, matching Lee Kang-in and Julián Álvarez. Romero’s introduction offered a small note of interest on a difficult night, but it did little to change the outcome.

Atlético leave Bilbao with no points, a 0–3 scoreline, and the feeling that those first-half shots off the post were more than just near-misses — they were the last signs of control before everything fell apart. How quickly they repair the damage will shape what this season becomes.