“In the second half, we lost the match in just five minutes; in fact, I believe that two minutes were enough to change everything,” the Argentine told reporters at San Mamés, adding that responsibility “sits with the coaching staff.”

“Athletic took advantage of that moment of lost focus. They deservedly won the match.”

The game had been level at the interval, with Pablo Barrios and Kang-in Lee both striking the woodwork for the visitors. It turned within seconds of the restart on Saturday. Nico Williams finished in the 46th minute, Robert Navarro doubled the lead in the 48th, and Oihan Sancet swept in a third from a late counter-attack in the 90th to seal Atletico’s first defeat of the campaign.

Alvarez comes on with the game gone

Julian Alvarez started as a substitute, back in the squad after illness and a summer of Barcelona speculation that ended with him staying in Madrid. Simeone sent him on just before the hour. The match was already gone.

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Asked why the Argentine did not go out to warm up after the match, Simeone had one line.

“Really? I have no comment.”

“Their two goals, in the blink of an eye, did us a lot of damage,” Pablo Barrios said.

Grimaldo culpable in all three goals

Analysis of the collapse pointed at repeated problems on the left of Atletico’s back four. Left-back Alejandro Grimaldo was drawn out of position for the opener, beaten by Navarro for the second and left exposed as Sancet swept in on the counter, Into the Calderón wrote, with Marcos Llorente, Giuliano Simeone and Kang-in Lee again crowding the right flank while Ademola Lookman was isolated on the other side.

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Head coach Edin Terzic has now delivered back-to-back wins for Athletic after the Basque side lost their opening two matches of the season.

Iraola’s first European tie as Liverpool boss

Atletico’s Champions League opener at Anfield kicks off at 8pm local time on Wednesday, 9 September, with Andoni Iraola taking his first European tie since replacing Arne Slot on Merseyside.

The Basque coach has just picked up his first league win as Liverpool manager, a 2-0 victory at Ipswich Town on 4 September behind an Alexander Isak brace, after opening the season with two draws.

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