Atlético Madrid entered December knowing it would be a defining month: four away games, brutal atmospheres, and little margin for error in LaLiga or in Europe. After falling short against Barcelona last weekend, a trip to San Mamés offered a chance to reset the tone.
Instead, Atleti delivered a toothless performance, undone by familiar problems that haunt them every time they leave the Metropolitano.
Not only did they fail to score first in the league for the first time this season; they never truly
looked like a team capable of doing so. The injuries, the defensive reshuffles and the chronic away day fragility all converged, producing a defeat that felt more symptomatic than surprising.
Here are the takeaways from a frustrating night in Bilbao.
Historic run ends
For 15 league matches, Atlético had at least one reliable habit: they struck first. It became a defining feature of the Colchoneros’ season, a cushion that allowed them to settle into games even when they were not playing particularly well.
In Bilbao, that pattern finally broke.
In failing to score for the first time in a league game this year, Atleti produced just three shots on target amid a complete inability to sustain attacking pressure. The side’s best moment came from Alexander Sørloth’s header, which required an acrobatic intervention from Unai Simón — and seconds later, it turned into the game’s only goal, as Álex Berenguer stepped into space and unleashed a strike from distance that evaded the reach of Jan Oblak.
At no point did Atlético string together meaningful sequences of control. They were repeatedly forced backward, their build-up strangled by Athletic’s press, and their forwards left adrift without service. The team’s possession advantage was misleading; they had the ball, but rarely in ways that hurt the opposition.
It was a stark reminder that Atleti still lack a clear attacking identity away from home, and that early goals have been hiding a bigger problem.
Defensive shuffling
Defensive continuity has been scarce this season. With Robin Le Normand out, Clément Lenglet was once again thrust into the starting lineup as a necessity of circumstance rather than a product of trust. That he remains at the club, let alone starting vital December fixtures, is a testament to how thin the squad really is.
When Lenglet was substituted, the rearranged back four — Matteo Ruggeri, David Hancko, Marc Pubill, Nahuel Molina — offered a glimpse into what might be the most balanced available back line for the coming weeks. Not the most convincing, but the best that Atleti have for now.
Injuries have eaten away at the Rojiblancos all year. They are now without José María Giménez, Álex Baena, Marcos Llorente and Johnny Cardoso, four players who are central to the team’s identity in and out of possession. With every absence, Simeone is forced to redistribute roles and responsibilities, and it is becoming clear that the backups can’t replicate the starters.
Simeone will keep adapting. He always does. But even he has limits.
Away-day syndrome
If there is one theme shaping Atlético’s season, it is the stark divide between home and away performances.
At the Metropolitano they look imposing, confident and fluid. Away from it, they transform into a passive, disjointed and hesitant version of themselves.
The results reflect it; Atleti have a 2-3-3 record away from the Metropolitano, having picked up just nine of a possible 24 points on their travels in LaLiga. San Mamés was simply the latest chapter in a pattern that stretches back months, even years: Atleti struggle to impose themselves, struggle to sustain pressure and struggled to look anything like a side capable of competing for a title.
The defeat leaves them nine points off the top, an alarming shift considering that on Tuesday they had the chance to go provisionally top with a win over Barcelona.
December’s schedule was always going to be treacherous. Two away games in, Atlético have already dropped six points. And the next challenge, PSV away in the Champions League, looms large. A response is needed in actual performances on the road, where Atlético’s season may ultimately be won or lost.
