GOLAZONEWSReal Sociedad dispute late penalty in derby defeat to Athletic Bilbao
- Alex Berenguer scored a 45+2 minute penalty to give Athletic Bilbao a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad.
- Real Sociedad players and staff strongly criticized referee Hernández Hernández for awarding the spot-kick.
- The match official maintained the call was correct, while Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simón expressed pride in the win.
Athletic Bilbao secured a 2-1 victory against Real Sociedad on matchday 11 of the 2026/27 La Liga season. Alex Berenguer scored the decisive goal from the penalty spot in the second minute of first-half injury time.
The penalty call created significant controversy for the visiting side. Real Sociedad defender Jon Mikel Aramburu insisted he touched the ball in his challenge with Nico Williams, claiming Williams himself admitted it was not a penalty. Manager Matarazzo and captain Mikel Oyarzabal both questioned why VAR did not overturn the ruling, while Real Sociedad published a statement on their website deeming the call the key factor in their defeat.
Referee Hernández Hernández defended his ruling, stating he saw a clear penalty that was subsequently confirmed by VAR. Following the derby, Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Unai Simón spoke of his pride in securing the victory.