Team news and analysis
This season, Athletic Bilbao are nowhere near equalling the achievements they had in 2012. By this time, last year, the team had life in Europe. The 2011/12 UEFA Europa League runners-up are suffering from inconsistency in La Liga this season. Bilbao have very little to play for as they rank 14th in the table. Staying clear from the relegation zone is definitely not sufficient for the occupants of San Mames who have forgotten about a top six finish long ago.
Athletic Bilbao have collected red cards in each of their last two games. In their latest fixture, against Sevilla, Aymeric Laporte received an accumulation of two yellow cards. The defender will not take part in Sunday’s home match against Real Madrid. As if Laporte’s loss was not enough, the hosts will have to be without Aduriz, De Marcos and Gurpegi. These three players must serve suspension for picking up too many yellows in the campaign.
Thankfully for Bilbao’s back four, goal poacher Cristiano Ronaldo may not play - at least, not the full 90 minutes. The Real Madrid number 7 ended Tuesday’s game away to Galatasaray in pain. Jose Mourinho could opt to rest his fellow Portuguese and offer Castilla product Alvaro Morata a spot in the starting XI.
Two other players who could also be dropped to avoid fatigue are midfielder Luka Modric and defender Raphael Varane. Kaka has been making the most of his opportunities on the pitch. He displayed a good performance in Real Madrid's 5-1 comeback against Levante last weekend. Mourinho may want his Brazilian star to continue his progress with a lot of playing time against Athletic Bilbao.
Athletic Bilbao’s possible XI
Iraizoz; Castillo, Aurtenetxe, Ekiza, Iraola; Jose, Iturraspe; Munian, Ander, Susaeta; Llorente
Real Madrid’s possible XI
Lopez; Arbeloa, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Alonso, Khedira, Kaka; Callejon, Benzema, Morata
Prediction
Athletic Bilbao have failed to record a single goal in their last two league meetings at home to Real Madrid. Los Blancos, meanwhile, tend to be full of goals anytime they meet this side. Over the past two seasons, Real Madrid have netted 15 goals in four games against Bilbao. Sunday’s game is likely to offer goals at both ends. However, the hostil crowd at San Mames might not match the passion that almost drowned the Spanish giants at the Telekom Arena in Istanbul in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Result: Athletic Bilbao 2-4 Real Madrid