The match resumed at a more tempered pace after the storm of Nico Williams' opener, but the atmosphere inside San Mamés stayed at a near-fever pitch. The Athletic players, now armed with the confidence of an early lead, didn't press with the same frantic intensity, but they pressed smartly, picking their moments, choosing their traps. The crowd helped with that — every time Lukas merely drifted into a pocket or received a sideways pass, the boos swelled like an oncoming wave.
Frankfurt, on the other hand, refused to panic. They didn't throw players forward. They didn't chase the game recklessly. Toppmöller knew exactly how dangerous Athletic could be in transition. With Nico Williams and Sancet lurking, a single misplaced pass could turn into a counterattack so fast that the visitors would find themselves two goals down before they could blink.
