Athletic Bilbao 2 - Parma 0

Athletic: Lafuente; Iraola, Karanka, Luis Prieto, Del Horno; Gurpegui, Orbaiz; Etxeberría (Javi González 82'), Yeste, Arriaga; Urzaiz (Azkorra 86'). 4-2-3-1.
Parma: Berti; Contini, Cannavaro, Potenza, Bonera; Bolaño Correa, Budel; Pisanu (Morfeo 70'), Grieco (Marchionni 70'), Rosina; Ruopolo (Gilardino70'). 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 05. Gurpegui. Picked up loose ball outside area and volleyed shot over top.
2-0. 49. Del Horno. Lost marker and steered header past Berti from Yeste free kick

Athletic Bilbao won their first match in the new league stage of the UEFA cup, beating Parma 2-0. The Italian side had been struggling in their local league, and manager Silvio Bertini decided to reserve half of his first choice team for their weekend tie against Lazio. Their replacements were not up to the task though, and Athletic were never in trouble after Gurpegui opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a long range shot.

Urzaiz and in particular Etxeberría could have given Ernesto Valverde's side a bigger lead by the break, but Del Horno made it two with a carbon copy of his goal against Trabzonspor in the first round, finding space in a sleepy defence to head Yeste's free kick wide of Berti.

Orbaiz could have got another with a long shot which went just wide, and Parma only woke up in the final minutes after Bertini made a triple substitution. Lafuente was never under real threat though, and Athletic are off to the start they wanted.