Prediction: Real Madrid to win 2-1
Best Odds: 13/2
Bookmaker: Zetbet
Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid will lock horns with each other in La Liga this week. The match between Ernesto Valverde’s side and Xabi Alonso’s team will be held at Estadio San Mames and is scheduled to kick off at 6pm UK time on Tuesday.
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao are one of the biggest and most historic clubs in Spain who regularly challenge for the top four in the La Liga table. While the Basque giants do not tend to challenge for the championship, they try to end up in major European Competitions.
Bilbao finished fifth in the La Liga table in the 2023-24 campaign and ended up fourth in the standings in the 2024-25 campaign. Ernesto Valverde’s side, though, are not doing particularly well at the moment. Zuri-Gorriak are eighth in the league table right now with 20 points from 14 matches, as many as 11 points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid.
The Basque club will head into the La Liga game against Real Madrid this week on the back of a 2-0 victory over Levante away from home in La Liga. It came after a goalless draw with Slavia Prague on the road in the UEFA Champions League, which followed a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Barcelona in the league.
Team News:
Athletic Bilbao are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Real Madrid. Unai Simon will be in goal for the home team. Inigo Lekue, Dani Vivian, Aitor Paredes and Yuri Berchiche will be the four defenders. Mikel Jauregizar and Alejandro Rego will be the two holding midfielders. Robert Navarro, Alex Berenguer and Nico Williams will be deployed in attacking midfield. Gorka Guruzeta will lead the line for Bilbao.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid are not having the best of times at the moment. While Los Blancos are not in disasterous form, disappointing results and performances in recent weeks have raised questions on the future of manager Xabi Alonso.
Madrid are second in the La Liga table at the moment wth 33 points from 14 matches, a point behind leaders, bitter rivals and defending champions Barcelona.
Los Blancos beat Olympiakos 4-3 in Greece in the UEFA Champions League last week before playing out a 1-1 draw with Girona away from home in La Liga on Sunday.
After the match, Alonso said: “There are different phases in a season. There were phases, especially at the beginning, when we were consistently away from home.
“In these last few games, there have been phases where the second half was much better than the first, and we were able to come back.
“The team had the desire to turn the 1-0 deficit around. We had three or four clear chances inside the area to score the second goal and win.
“We have to continue with the high standards required to play for Real Madrid. It’s a long season.”
Team News:
Real Madrid are likely to line up in a 4-3-3 formation against Athletic Bilbao. Thibaut Courtois will be in goal and will have Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger and Fran Garcia in front of him in defence. Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Jude Bellingham will be the three midfielders. Arda Guler and Vinicius Junior will be delployed out wide, with Kylian Mbappe leading the line for Los Blancos.
Key Factors to Consider
- Athletic Bilbao have lost 3 of their last 6 La Liga games.
- Athletic Bilbao have scored 14 goals and conceded 17 goals in 14 La Liga games.
- Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe is the top scorer in LaLiga with 14 goals in 15 matches.
- Real Madrid have lost just 1 of their last 14 La Liga games so far this season.
- Real Madrid have scored 29 goals and conceded 13 goals in 14 La Liga games so far this season.
Conclusion
Athletic Bilbao are not in good form at the moment, and while Real Madrid are not doing particularly well themselves, Los Blancos have a better team and should be able to pick up all three points from this particular La Liga match.
Prediction: Real Madrid to win 2-1
Best Odds: 13/2
Bookmaker: Zetbet
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