Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid will be desperate to return to winning ways when they host Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.
Real Madrid cannot afford a slip-up against Athletic Club in the league game at the Santiago Bernabeu this weekend as they are already seven points behind league leaders, Barcelona.
The home team are second on the table with 66 points in their 31 outings. After dropping points against Valencia, they did return to winning ways against Deportivo Alaves but it was not the best of performances for the team in white.
Los Blancos also suffered at the hands of Arsenal home and away in the UEFA Champions League and having been knocked out of the competition, they will now be fully focused on pushing for the league and the Copa del Rey title. Since Real Madrid are playing a catch-up game to Barcelona in La Liga, they cannot afford to drop even a point.
Meanwhile, the visitors are pushing to secure Champions League football for next season. Athletic Club are currently fourth on the table with 57 points in their 31 outings. With the top five clubs from Spain heading to the Champions League this time around, they are in a comfortable position as they are nine points clear of sixth-placed Real Betis.
The away team have been unbeaten in their last five matches, but they have played a draw in three of those occasions. The Basque outfit head into this fixture on the back of securing a place in the Europa League semi-final, a result that will no doubt give them a boost going into the weekend. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Real Madrid
The home team will be without the services of Kylian Mbappe, who was sent off in their last league outing. Meanwhile, Eduardo Camavinga, who was suspended for the Arsenal game, is back in the mix. While Ferland Mendy and Andriy Lunin could return to the squad, Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal remain on the sidelines.
Real Madrid should line up in a 4-4-2 formation for this fixture against Athletic Club, with Thibaut Courtois in goal. Federico Valverde and Fran Garcia could be the full-backs for this fixture, while Raul Asencio should continue to partner with Antonio Rudiger in the heart of the defence.
Camavinga will return to the starting XI and pair up with Dani Ceballos in the centre of the park. They will look to control the tempo of the game. Jude Bellingham and Brahim could feature on the flanks in midfield. Finally, Rodrygo Goes should partner with Vinicius Junior, with Mbappe unavailable.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Fran Garcia; Brahim Diaz, Camavinga, Ceballos, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius
Athletic Club
Inaki Williams, who missed Athletic Club’s last outing because of an adductor injury, is unlikely to be risked against Real Madrid this weekend. Meanwhile, Yuri Berchiche remains a doubt because of a muscular issue.
The visitors will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Unai Simon will be in goal. Andoni Gorosabel and Inigo Lekue will feature as the full-backs, while Dani Vivian will pair up with Aitor Paredes in the heart of the defence.
In the centre of the park, Mikel Jauregizar and Benat Prados will form the double pivot. They will look to shield the backline and ensure Real Madrid midfielders do not dictate the pace of the game.
Oihan Sancet will take up the number ten role, while Alejandro Berenguer and Nico Williams will provide the much-needed width to their attacks. Finally, Gorka Guruzeta will lead the line for Athletic Club against Real Madrid on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Simon; Gorosabel, Vivian, Paredes, Lekue; Jauregizar, Prados; Berenguer, Sancet, Nico Williams; Guruzeta
Key Stats
- The two teams have faced each other on a total of 247 occasions, Real Madrid have won 123 of those meetings, while Athletic Club have won 79 matches.
- Los Blancos have only won one out of their last five matches across competitions.
- Athletic Club won the reverse fixture 2-1 at San Mames back in December.
- The away team are looking for their third straight win in all competitions.
- Last time Real Madrid hosted Athletic Club, they secured a comfortable 2-0 victory at the Bernabeu.
Player to Watch
Vinicius Junior
Vinicius Junior has yet again been one of the standout performers for Real Madrid this season. The Brazilian international has been involved in a total of 45 matches across competitions, and he has contributed towards 34 goals. While Los Blancos were outclassed by Arsenal both home and away, he did put in a hard shift despite the fact that things did not work out for them.
While Vinicius averages a goal every 181 minutes, he only has three goals in his last 12 league outings. The Brazilian’s form in La Liga has not been at his best and he will certainly be eager to get things back on track with a statement performance.
Prediction
Real Madrid 2-1 Athletic Club
Real Madrid will head into this fixture with a point to prove following their UEFA Champions League exit. Carlo Ancelotti’s men will be determined to put all their focus on La Liga and the Copa del Rey. While they have not been at their fluent best of late, playing at home should give them the edge.
Athletic Club, meanwhile, have had a solid run and will pose a tough challenge with their defensive structure and counter-attacking threat. But Real Madrid’s experience and quality in crucial moments should make the difference, and while the visitors might get on the scoresheet, the home side should have enough firepower to edge this one. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the home team.
