The out-of-form visitors needed a positive result to keep their realistic progression hopes alive, and they had a clear sight of goal inside the opening minute. Nevertheless, Gorka Guruzeta, whose last four club goals have come on the road, fluffed his lines and fired wide.
That was Athletic’s last shot of a half that Atalanta went on to dominate, taking the lead shortly after the quarter-hour mark. Nicola Zalewski’s cross from the left was met by a towering Gianluca Scamacca header as the Italian forward beat Unai Simon to end a five-game goal drought.
La Dea went hunting for more goals, but found a determined Athletic backline in their way. Lorenzo Bernasconi’s curler from the inside left went agonisingly close to handing Raffaele Palladino’s men a two-goal lead, before Scamacca had another strike ruled out for offside and Charles De Ketelaere headed against the post.
The visitors were more than grateful for those reprieves after a tepid first-half showing, but their failure to score multiple goals in their last 11 UCL away games meant any comeback hopes appeared fanciful ahead of the restart.
Without the talismanic Williams brothers, Athletic were on the back foot again at the start of the second period as Davide Zappacosta twice went close to doubling the hosts’ lead. First, the wing-back cut inside and fired straight at Simon before a more threatening effort whistled wide of the post.
It looked as though Ernesto Valverde’s men would need something special to get back into the contest, but their unlikely equaliser was remarkably simple. A long ball unlocked the Atalanta defence with Sead Kolasinac floored by Guruzeta, who received the return pass from Robert Navarro and slotted home Athletic’s first UCL goal since Matchday 3, with this the fourth of his last five club goals to make the score 1-1.
The hosts were suddenly rattled, and momentum continued to conspire against them as they fell behind 20 minutes from time. Nico Serrano had been on the pitch less than two minutes when he arrived at the back post to slam home Navarro’s cross on the volley, prompting wild celebrations in the away end.
Navarro got in on the act himself just four minutes later when he fired home after being slotted in by Oihan Sancet with a goal that looked to have secured victory, but Nikola Krstovic hit back for Atalanta in the 88th minute after being found by Ademola Lookman to reignite the contest.
Athletic ultimately held firm in the nervy closing stages, securing just a third away victory of the season against top-flight opposition to climb inside the top 24. Atalanta, meanwhile, dropped out of the top eight as their three-match UCL winning streak came to an unceremonious end.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Robert Navarro (Athletic Club)