Rescheduled La Liga Matchday 19 between Athletic and Real Madrid will take place on December 4 at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao. Athletic vs. Real Madrid: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez (Spain)
Matches – 9 (La Liga, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 50;
Average yellow cards per match – 5.6;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 26;
Penalties – 56%.
Predicted lineups for Athletic vs. Real Madrid
Athletic (4-2-3-1): Julen Agirrezabala – Yuri Berchiche, Yeray Alvarez, Aitor Paredes, Lekue – Mikel Haurregisar, Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta – Alex Berenguer, Inaki Williams, Nico Williams – Gorka Guruzeta.
Real Madrid (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois – Lucas Vazquez, Raul Asensio, Fran Garcia, Antonio Rudiger – Federico Valverde, Dani Ceballos, Jude Bellingham – Rodrygo Goes, Kylian Mbappe, Brahim Diaz.
Each team's starting lineup from their last match in this tournament is listed.
Athletic
The Basques come into this match with two consecutive league victories. They first defeated Real Sociedad at home (1-0), followed by an away win against Rayo Vallecano (2-1). The team remains unbeaten in six consecutive La Liga matches (3 wins and 3 draws). With these results, Athletic has climbed to fourth place, surpassing Villarreal on tiebreakers. However, the Valencians have a game in hand.
- Ernesto Valverde's side has not lost in 10 of their last 11 league matches (6 wins and 4 draws).
- Both teams scored in 7 of Athletic's last 9 La Liga encounters.
- The number "1" appeared in the final score in 8 of Athletic's last 9 La Liga matches.
Real Madrid
After their sole defeat in the current championship against Barcelona (0-4), the capital club has secured three consecutive victories. They defeated Osasuna (4-0) and Getafe (2-0) at home, and Leganes away (3-0). Thanks to this winning streak and Barcelona's three consecutive slip-ups, Real has reduced the gap to just one point. Carlo Ancelotti's side also has a game in hand.
Defenders David Alaba, Dani Carvajal, and Eder Militao, as well as forward Vinicius Junior and midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, will miss this match due to injuries.
- No more than three goals were scored in 11 of Real Madrid's last 15 La Liga matches.
- Real Madrid has won 9 of their last 11 league matches.
- The team has not conceded more than one goal in six previous away La Liga encounters.
Athletic vs. Real Madrid: Match Prediction
I am confident that Madrid will put in every effort to secure victory in the upcoming match. The team is already ahead of Barcelona on points lost and does not intend to let their arch-rival slip away. Despite Athletic's recent successes, Real Madrid has had no issues against the Basques in La Liga. In the last 18 encounters, Madrid has won 13 times, with five draws.
Moreover, in their last five visits to San Mames, Madrid has only won, conceding just one goal in these matches. Additionally, it's worth noting that while Real's long unbeaten run in the league was interrupted (in the match against Barcelona), their away streak continues – the club has not lost away in La Liga for 21 matches (13 wins and 8 draws). With a safety net, I suggest a handicap on Real, as Athletic has not lost at home in 7 of 8 matches this season.
My prediction – Real Madrid with a handicap (0)