Real Madrid return to action against Athletic Bilbao in a midweek La Liga encounter.
Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid best bets
- Athletic Bilbao or draw – 9/13 with VBET
- Under 2.5 goals – 24/23 with VBET
- Olihan Sancet to score any time – 16/5 with VBET
Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid odds
Find the latest match odds for Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid. All odds are provided by our best football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.
Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid predictions
All of a sudden, Real Madrid are right back in it. Things can change quickly in football and that is exactly what has happened in La Liga over the last few weeks.
Rewind to this time last month and things were not looking good for Carlo Ancelotti’s team. Barcelona had just beaten Espanyol 3-1 to move nine points clear at the top of the table. As for Madrid, their last match had ended in a thumping 4-0 home defeat by Barcelona.
To be clear, there are still problems at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. They are really struggling in the Champions League in particular. With three rounds of fixtures remaining, Madrid are 24th in the 36-team standings. Drop any lower and they will be in the elimination spots.
Serious question marks over the balance of the team persist. The addition of Kylian Mbappe has caused more problems than it has solved. It remains hard to see how any team can get the best out of Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham at the same time. In the long term, something surely has to give.
Yet the picture has at least improved in La Liga. Since that shellacking by Barcelona in late October, Madrid have won three matches on the bounce without conceding, beating Osasuna 4-0, Leganes 3-0 and Getafe 2-0.
In truth, though, Madrid’s re-entry to the title conversation owes more to Barcelona’s dip in form than their own upturn. No one saw this coming, but Hansi Flick’s side have opened the door to their rivals (as well as Atletico Madrid) by taking just one point from the last nine available.
Their latest setback was the worst yet, as Barcelona inexplicably lost 2-1 at home to relegation-threatened Las Palmas. They are now just one point ahead of Madrid, who have a game in hand on Flick’s team. The bookies have the Blancos down as narrow favourites.
Madrid still need to convince Spanish football watchers that they are capable of winning the major prizes, though. A victory at the Estadio de San Mames would represent a statement of intent from Ancelotti’s side, who have only beaten one member of the current top seven so far this season.
Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid betting tips
Real Madrid will be looking to avoid a slip-up when they face Athletic Bilbao away from home.
Athletic Bilbao or draw
Athletic Bilbao finished fifth in La Liga last term. The same placing this time around could be enough to qualify for the Champions League, but that will depend on Spanish sides’ overall performance in continental competition.
Fourth would guarantee a place in the tournament and that is the position Athletic occupy heading into this match against Real Madrid
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They are in good form too, having gone nine games without defeat across La Liga and the Europa League. What is more, the Basque outfit have lost just one of their last 16 outings in all competitions.
Real Madrid have enough star quality to beat most opponents in Spain, but individual talent will not necessarily be sufficient against Athletic, who are a much tougher nut to crack than the likes of Getafe.
Ernesto Valverde’s charges have what it takes to avoid defeat on home turf, where they have lost just once since August 2023.
Tip an Athletic Bilbao win or a draw at 9/13 with VBET
Under 2.5 goals
Athletic Bilbao are difficult to play against, particularly in front of their own fans. Their home record detailed above is evidence of that.
Their matches tend to be close. Despite their lofty position in the table, Athletic have only won one league game by more than a two-goal margin up to now. Meanwhile, each of their three defeats was by the odd goal.
Ancelotti knows that his players will be in for a tough night in Bilbao. He will preach the importance of compactness without the ball and control with it.
Nine of Athletic’s 15 matches have featured under 2.5 goals, including four of the last five. Another low-scoring encounter beckons.
Back under 2.5 goals at 24/23 with VBET
Olihan Sancet to score any time
Olihan Sancet is in a rich vein of form.
The Athletic Bilbao man scored the only goal of the game to beat Real Sociedad in the derby the weekend before last, before striking a match-winning brace against Rayo Vallecano last time out.
Sancet is now Athletic’s leading goal-getter this season and his confidence will be sky-high after his recent exploits.
Real Madrid remain without some key defenders, including Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and Eder Militao, while midfield duo Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni are also sidelined (as is Vinicius).
That leaves Madrid’s defence vulnerable. They have coped well of late, registering three clean sheets on the bounce, but an in-form Sancet can make the net ripple on Wednesday.
Select Oihan Sancet to score any time at 16/5 with VBET
How to watch Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid
- Location: Estadio de San Mames, Bilbao, Spain.
- Date and time: Wednesday 4th December, 8pm.
- How to watch: Premier Sports 1, LALIGATV.
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About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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