Real Madrid will walk into Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, April 20, knowing that anything less than three points against Athletic Club scuppers their already-slim chances of retaining their La Liga title.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men are under immense pressure to deliver after a thoroughly underwhelming season in which arch-rivals Barcelona have taken Europe by storm, further spotlighting their impotence.
Madrid have been too inconsistent for their own good. The balance of the team is way off, and Ancelotti has come under scrutiny for his undercooked tactics.
Marquee summer signing Kylian Mbappe has clicked into gear, but his presence and positioning have upset a winning team.
The absence of Toni Kroos has also left Madrid needing a controller, while Rodrygo’s lack of end product on the right wing is becoming a cause for concern.
Notwithstanding, Los Blancos remain only seven points away from Barcelona at the summit and have a game in hand at the time of writing.
That means they can reduce the deficit to four before they lock horns with Bilbao.
Three points is a must for the 15-time UEFA Champions League winners if they want to stay within touching distance of the Catalonians with eight games to go.
Meanwhile, Athletic have other targets on the agenda. They sit in fourth place, hanging on with Villarreal breathing down their necks.
The Basque side is keen on rubbing shoulders with the elites in the Champions League for the first time since 2014/15.
Led by the underrated Ernesto Valverde, Athletic are punching above their weight in one of the Champions League slots. They want to remain in that position come matchday 38.
Keeping Nico Williams away from suitors was key, and now they are flying high with the young winger playing a talismanic role alongside his brother, Inaki Williams.
The highly experienced rearguard deserves even more plaudits. They have conceded the fewest goals in La Liga at the time of writing.
Bilbao have not shipped a goal in their last three matches, although shooting practice is in order, as they also fired blanks in those games.
After watching Valencia collect three points at the Bernabeu, Bilbao should believe they can also go to Madrid and shock the world, setting the stage for an unmissable epic.
Purchase Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Bilbao tickets at Seatsnet.com, a reliable ticket marketplace, to catch every minute of this pulsating clash of Spanish titans live at the Bernabeu.
Match Preview
Madrid won the La Liga and Champions League double last term. Adding Mbappe to the mix was supposed to take them to a new level, but it has not been smooth sailing for Los Blancos.
A plague of injuries ravaged the defence, and the Kroos-shaped hole in midfield is more glaring with every passing matchday.
Mbappe has delivered 32 goals in 47 appearances, but at what cost? The attack is overly tilted to the left, where the Frenchman, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, love to occupy, leaving the right flank underutilised.
Also, the absence of a centre-forward prototype a la Joselu leaves Madrid frustratingly one-dimensional.
Much of the blame lies at Ancelotti’s feet, with many calling his tactics stale, especially in light of humbling defeats at the hands of Arsenal in the Champions League and Barcelona in La Liga.
Another loss to Valencia has not helped their cause. Los Blancos have lost two of their last five games in the league (L3).
Madrid are winless in their most recent three (across all competitions). They will be hell-bent on turning that abysmal record around.
Similarly, Athletic registered only one win in their previous five La Liga matches (L3, D1).
The goals have dried up for Los Leones over the past few games, even though their defensive record remains superb.
Athletic stormed into the top four after a fantastic start to the season, but they face a fight to keep the momentum going.
Oihan Sancet, Gorka Guruzeta, and the Williams brothers have seemingly lost their shooting boots, but they must find them to stand a chance at the Bernabeu.
Gaffer Valverde has made this side a fearsome counterattacking machine that can upset the status quo.
The 61-year-old led Bilbao to their first major trophy in 40 years after beating Mallorca on penalties to claim the Spanish Cup while finishing fifth in La Liga last term.
Bilbao are on course to improve on that finish this season. They need to find their footing to close out strong, with Villarreal currently six points away and having a game in hand.
Head to Head
When Bilbao welcomed Madrid to San Mames in December, they stunned the reigning champions.
Alejandro Berenguer tapped the home side into the lead before Jude Bellingham equalised, but Guruzeta netted a famous winner to condemn Madrid to their second league loss.
Bilbao had not beaten Madrid in La Liga since March 7, 2015. In the 18 games they played in that period, Los Blancos came out on top a staggering 13 times (D5).
Madrid will ache to get back to winning ways against the Basque outfit.
Athletic have failed to win any of their last 19 away matches against Real Madrid in La Liga (W16, D3), including a 2-0 loss in their most recent trip to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Madrid are yet to lose a home league game against Los Leones since they suffered a 2-0 defeat in February 2005.
Best XIs
Real Madrid
Thibaut Courtois is fit again and gets the nod in goal.
Unfortunately, injuries have boxed Ancelotti to stick to a backline of David Alaba, Antonio Rudiger, and Raul Asencio, with Federico Valverde as a makeshift right-back.
Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga and Luka Modric are mainstays in the engine room, looking to create magic for the feared frontline of Vinicius, Mbappe, and Rodrygo.
(4-3-3): Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Alaba; Bellingha, Camavinga, Modric; Vinicius, Mbappe, Rodrygo.
Athletic Bilbao
Unai Simon returned from a long-term wrist injury to reclaim his place in goal.
The Spain international goalkeeper will likely have the established four of Oscar de Marcos, Unai Nunez, Yeray Alvarez, and Yuri Berchiche protecting him.
Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta and the talented Mikel Jauregizar are expected to pull the strings from the base of midfield.
The rapid Williams brothers flank Sancet, who has contributed 14 goals in 28 appearances across all competitions, while Guruzeta leads the line.
(4-2-3-1): Simon; De Marcos, Nunez, Alvarez, Berchiche; De Galarreta, Jauregizar; N.Williams, Sancet, I.Williams; Guruzeta.
Ticket info
Ready to feel the excitement of La Liga action in person? Secure your tickets through official club websites for guaranteed access.
For great deals and a wide range of seating options, especially for Real Madrid matches, visit Seatsnet.com, a secondary marketplace for finding tickets to every La Liga fixture.
How to Watch
You can catch all the La Liga action in the UK on the official LaLigaTV channel, available through the Premier Sports Player and Amazon Prime Video.
Both platforms offer a 30-day free trial for new users. Also, select matches will be broadcast live on Premier Sports 1 and ITV4.
