90 minutes of insults: Carvajal under siege from Bilbao fans

Why?

Athletic Bilbao crushed Getafe 4-0, but it was what happened after the final whistle that infuriated the Basque supporters. Yuri Berchiche sought out Dani Carvajal, the Getafe defender and former Real Madrid man. The two exchanged words. Then they embraced, a scene the fans could not stomach, still nursing painful memories of the Spanish full-back.

According to German newspaper "Bild", the Athletic faithful made their hostility towards Carvajal plain long before kick-off. They booed him relentlessly and hurled abuse every time he touched the ball, and the charged atmosphere lasted all match. One incident from 2023 had turned him into a lightning rod for their anger.

That bad blood traces back to a meeting between Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid that year, with Carvajal in the white shirt. He went in hard on Berchiche, then the Basque side's defender, during a 50-50 challenge. The outcome was brutal: a fractured fibula.

The injury seared itself into the memory of Athletic's supporters. They never forgave Carvajal, holding him responsible for the violent challenge, which explains the venomous reception he got against Getafe despite the years that have passed.

What came after the whistle clashed completely with the tension in the stands. Berchiche walked over to Carvajal, the pair talked, and then they embraced. The past was no longer standing between them. Whatever the fans felt, the two men had moved on.