Atletico Madrid saw VAR uphold Athletic Club Bilbao's first goal at San Mames last Saturday, a strike scored by Nico Williams. The Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) has confirmed in its 'Review Time' video that the action was legal, as reported by journalist Ramón Fuentes for Mundo Deportivo.
Diego Simeone's team faces this decision while sitting seventh in La Liga, with 7 points from four matches and a record of two wins, one draw, and one loss. They have scored 7 goals and conceded 6, leaving them with a positive goal difference of +1. However, the title race picture is demanding, as Atletico trails leader Barcelona by 5 points.
What happened in the goal sequence?
The play started shortly after the beginning of the second half. Athletic recovered the ball and launched a quick counter-attack. At a key moment, Unai Sancet stretched his leg to control a ball that seemed headed for the touchline. The forward managed to keep it in play, allowing the move to continue and culminate in Nico Williams's finish.
Immediately, VAR reviewed the action using all available cameras to determine if the ball had fully crossed the touchline before Sancet's control. The video referee found no clear evidence to disallow the goal. The VAR audio, as reported, made the verdict clear: "No tenemos evidencias, no tenemos evidencias, voy a seguir. Terminamos la APP, gol legal" (We have no evidence, we have no evidence, I will continue. We end the APP, legal goal).
How did the Technical Committee support the decision?
Ramón Fuentes, a Madrid-based journalist for Mundo Deportivo, explained that "una de las jugadas que se ha analizado en los vídeos de 'Tiempo de Revisión' del Comité Técnico de Árbitros ha sido el posible fuera de banda previo al primer gol del Athletic Club de Bilbao" (one of the plays analyzed in the 'Review Time' videos of the Technical Committee of Referees was the possible touchline infringement prior to Athletic Club Bilbao's first goal). After careful examination, the CTA concluded there was no evidence to invalidate the score, thereby supporting the on-field decision.
This institutional backing ends any debate about the goal's legality. The technical review confirms the protocol was followed correctly and that the visual evidence did not support an overturn. For Atletico, this means the result at San Mames, though unfavorable, was not marked by a refereeing error in that specific incident.
What is Atletico's current context?
The Colchoneros receive this news during a period of adjustment within the league competition. Their early-season performance, reflected in the league standings, shows a need for consolidation. With a recent run of form alternating wins and losses (LWDW), consistency emerges as the primary objective.
The squad managed by Simeone must now focus on the next fixture. Atletico Madrid visits Real Sociedad on Sunday, September 13th in a clash between teams fighting for high positions. The Basque side currently sits ninth, promising a very even contest at the Reale Arena. Fans can check all the details of this and upcoming matches on our fixtures page.
Preparation for this match will be key, especially after analyzing the lessons from Bilbao. The team needs to improve its effectiveness in both boxes to climb the table and reduce the gap to the top. The upcoming trip to San Sebastian represents an immediate opportunity to get back to winning ways and demonstrate their ability to react.
