Athletic Club held UEFA Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain to a 0-0 draw at San Mames.
Athletic Club emerged with a significant credit after holding Paris Saint-Germain to a goalless draw at San Mames, despite struggling in Europe this term.
The home side pressed aggressively but in a calculated manner, feeding off the electric atmosphere in the stadium.
PSG, missing key players Ousmane Dembele and Achraf Hakimi, struggled to create quality chances in the final third.
Athletic’s goalkeeper Unai Simon was called into action, making crucial saves to keep the score level. The first real test came in the 31st minute, when Alex Berenguer’s audacious free-kick was tipped behind by PSG’s stand-in goalkeeper Matvey Safonov.
Simon was again called upon to make a save, this time from Senny Mayulu, just before half-time. The second half saw more of the same, with Mayulu having another chance to put PSG ahead, but Simon was equal to the task.
PSG’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Joao Neves had chances to score, but the game remained scoreless. Desire Doue’s introduction didn’t quite add spice to the game, and Athletic seemed to get a second wind in the latter stages of the contest.
Simon continued to shine, pulling off a smart save late on from Fabian Ruiz, with Berchiche getting back on the line to clear the Spanish midfielder’s follow-up.
The game ended 0-0, a first for PSG in a UCL away match since November 2024.
The draw leaves PSG third in the league-phase table, while Athletic remains 28th, outside the play-off positions. Despite the lack of goals, Athletic can take heart from their resilient performance against the UCL holders.
