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Athletic Club v Real Madrid preview
After drawing a third successive domestic match with a 1-1 draw at Girona on Sunday, Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said now is “a good time to win in Bilbao” as his side continue their run of six straight away games in all competitions.
Azzedine Ounahi scored the 45th-minute opener for the third-bottom side before Kylian Mbappe’s 67th-minute penalty ensured Madrid have one defeat in 14 Liga games this season, although they are now a point behind leaders Barcelona.
“We have to continue with the unity we have, with the necessary self-criticism and the desire to win away from home,” said Alonso.
“We have the opportunity in Bilbao. The points are what they are… this is going to be a long season and the table is going to be very tight.
“There will still be a lot of ups and downs. We’re playing for three points… we need it and we want it.”
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Athletic Club manager and former Barca boss Ernesto Valverde said a 2-0 win at Levante on Saturday – his side’s second successive league victory, following a 1-0 home defeat of Oviedo on November 9 – had “reaffirmed morale” among his squad.
“We know the potential of the opponents we have coming up, but we just have to take it one by one,” said Valverde, praising Unai Simon for “two or three extraordinary saves” as Athletic Club earned a third clean sheet in four games, including a 0-0 draw at Slavia Praha in the Champions League on November 25.
“We also kept a clean sheet the other day, which is fundamental for us. In that sense, we are a pretty safe team, because we don’t conceded many goals.
“Real Sociedad scored three against us [in a 3-2 defeat on November 1], Barcelona scored four [a 4-0 defeat on November 22], but we are a team who don’t concede too many, and it has to stay that way.”
Athletic Bilbao v Real Madrid team news
Centre-back Unai Egiluz, midfielder Benat Prados and forward Maroan Sannadi are long-term absentees for Athletic Club, while defender Yeray Alvarez is serving a 10-month ban for taking a banned substance.
Wingers Robert Navarro and Nico Williams scored against Levante, but Navarro is unlikely to feature because he is recovering from a severe ankle sprain, while Williams’ pubalgia is being monitored.
“Pubalgia comes and goes,” accepted Valverde. “You have to be constantly working on it day by day, persistent in your planning.
“We’ll see how he feels. The play that led to [his] goal was extraordinary: the build-up from the back and the finish.”
Forward Inaki Williams is recuperating from a serious injury to the adductor longus muscle in his right leg and Oihan Sancet is serving the second and final match of his suspension for being sent off at the Camp Nou, but fellow midfielder Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta is available following a ban.
Centre-half Aymeric Laporte has returned to training following gastroenteritis, while left-back Yuri Berchiche withdrew from the squad’s latest session with minor discomfort.
Youth product Alejandro Rego accompanied Mikel Jauregizar against Levante, with Valverde observing that Athletic Club played the same midfield pairing they had two years ago.
“[Rego] playedgreat matches against Slavia and [at Levante],” said Valverde. “With Prados’ injury, [it’s encouraging that Rego is] improving a lot.”
Defenders Dani Carvajal and David Alaba are long-term absentees for Madrid but carried out indoor training on Monday alongside centre-back Dean Huijsen, who has missed two games with a knee niggle.
Midfielder Franco Mastantuono continued his comeback from injury as an unused substitute against Girona.
Aurelien Tchouameni will incur a suspension if the defender or midfielder is booked.
Athletic Club v Real Madrid predicted starting lineups
Athletic Club starting XI: Unai Simon, Inigo Lekue, Dani Vivian, Aitor Paredes, Aymeric Laporte, Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta, Mikel Jauregizar, Alex Berenguer, Alejandro Rego, Nico Williams, Gorka Guruzeta
Real Madrid starting XI: Thibaut Courtois, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Raul Asencio, Alvaro Carreras, Ferland Mendy, Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe
How to watch Athletic Club v Madrid: TV channel, online live stream
Kick-off on Wednesday is at 18:00 BST (13:00 ET / 10:00 PT), with live coverage in the UK on Premier Sports 2 and streaming available on a vast range of devices via the Premier Sports app.
A Premier Sports subscription costs £120 a year, £11.99 per month on a 12-month contract or £16.99 per month with 30 days’ cancellation notice required.
Athletic Club v Madrid stats
- Athletic Club have conceded the fewest expected goals allowed (13.3) of any team in this season’s Liga
- Only Espanyol (324) have made more crosses in the division than Athletic Club (311)
- Getafe (129) are the only team to have blocked more passes than them (125)
- Alex Berenguer has the sixth-highest expected assisted goals total in the division (3.1)
- Getafe’s Mauro Arambarri and Alaves’ Antonio Blanco (both 18) are the only players to have bettered Jauregizar’s tally of 17 tackles in the middle third of the pitch in 2025/26
- With 14 goals, Mbappe started the week as the Liga top scorer and was six ahead of next-nearest rival Robert Lewandowski, of Barcelona
- The striker’s three assists mean he has scored and set up at least five more goals combined than any other player in the 2025/26 top flight (Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal has 12)
- The France captain has 23 goals in his last 19 club matches
- Jude Bellingham has the fifth-highest shots on target percentage (54.2%) of any player to have had at least 10 attempts in this season’s division
- Alvaro Carreras has attempted (989) and completed (873) the most passes in La Liga since the start of the campaign
