Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Prediction, Preview, Predicted Lineups and Team News | La Liga

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Preview

Tournament: La Liga

Date: Sunday, April 20

Kick-off Time: 07:00 PM GMT

Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Spain

The race for the La Liga title has spiced up as we head into the 32nd round of the league, where defending champions Real Madrid will host Athletic Club on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The hosts come into this game after being knocked out by Arsenal from the quarter-final of the Champions League. The Gunners defeated Madrid with an aggregate score of 1-5.

After going out of the UCL, Los Blancos will fight for the league and the Copa del Rey. Real Madrid showed intensity in the second leg of the UCL against Arsenal, but the Gunners were mature on the ball, winning duels and making sure that Madrid had the slightest edge in the game. Kylian Mbappé would be a key miss for the game, and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti will have a big task to replace the attacker, who is the team's highest goal scorer in the league.

In the meantime, Athletic defeated Rayo Vallecano 3-1 at home on Sunday to snap a run of three straight goalless draws in all competitions. Nico Williams and Oihan Sancet both scored for the Basque-based team. Because they doubt Inaki Williams' fitness, Athletic's manager, Ernesto Valverde, may be forced to continue using Berenguer on the left and put his faith in Inaki's brother, Nico.

Real Madrid Team News

The Los Blancos have been prone to injuries this season, specifically in the defence. David Alaba has returned from injury but is yet to return to full fitness, and left-back Ferland Mendy has been nursing a hamstring injury.

French World Cup winner, Kylian Mbappe, remains suspended for the fixture after he picked up a suspension in the game against Alaves for a rash tackle on Antonio Blanco. Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao, two long-time absentees, would not feature for the home team.

Athletic Club Team News

Ernesto Valverde led Los Leones does not have major injury problems to deal with. They will be without the services of Neraysho Kasanwirjo, who is out with a knee injury.

Apart from that, Dujon Sterling is out for the whole season with an achilles tendon injury. Valverde will rely on their top scorer, Inaki Williams, who has scored six goals so far in the season. They are expected to start with a back four consisting of Boiro, Paredes, Vivian, and Gorosabel.

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Predicted Lineups

Real Madrid Predicted Lineup (4-3-3):

Goalkeeper: Courtois

Defenders: Vazquez, Rudiger, Asencio, Alaba

Midfielders: Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham

Forwards: Rodrygo, Endrick, Vinicius

Athletic Club Predicted Lineup (4-3-3):

Goalkeeper: Unai Simon

Defenders: Boiro, Paredes, Vivian, Gorosabel

Midfielders: Prados, Jauregizar, Gomez

Attackers: Berenguer, Williams, Guruzeta

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Head-to-Head Record

To date, there have been 32 meetings between Real Madrid CF and Athletic Club. Real Madrid won 22 games in their encounters, while Athletic Club only won 4. Six of the matches were drawn. According to records, Real Madrid has been the only team to win for the longest time.

Key Players to Watch in Real Madrid vs Athletic Club

Raul Ascensio (Real Madrid)

Since David Alaba and Eder Militao were injured, the defence has been Los Blancos' weak point. Since then, Carlo Ancelotti has discovered Raul Asencio, a jewel from the La Fábrica academy.

Alongside Antonio Rudiger, he has solidified his spot in the starting lineup and contributed to the team's success in pivotal games. The Spaniard has made 17 appearances in La Liga, winning 58 duels and recording 60 interceptions. The athlete has recorded four tackles and four interceptions in each of the last five games.

Inaki Williams (Athletic Club)

For Los Leones, Inaki Williams would be a vital player despite doubts about his fitness. He has contributed to the team's outcomes and scored five goals this season, making him Athletic's talisman in La Liga. He has also helped the team score eight goals. Despite failing to score in the previous five games, the forward is hoping to end the run. With an xG of 0.2, he would want to raise it.

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Prediction

This season, the Los Blancos have just two trophy alternatives, and they would do everything in their power to win those two. In contrast, Athletic will want to secure a place in the top five to qualify for the UCL the following season. After losing to Arsenal in the Champions League, Madrid will undoubtedly want to bounce back in this match, but Athletic would be a formidable foe. Given that they defeated the reigning champions 2-1 in the rematch earlier in the season, the Basque-based team will undoubtedly want to defeat them twice.

Predicted Score: Real Madrid 2-1 Athletic Club

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