Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Spanish Primera
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THE FACTS
When is Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid on and what time does it start? Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid will take place on Saturday 12th August, 2023 – 20:30 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What TV channel is Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid on in the UK? Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid will be televised live on LaLigaTV, but La Liga matches are also televised occasionally on Viaplay Sports and ITV
Where can I stream Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid in the UK? Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid can be streamed live on Viaplay, while ITV matches can be streamed live on ITVX
THE LOWDOWN
ATHLETIC BILBAO
The ‘cantera’ policy at Athletic Club is well respected by many with the club only selecting players of Basque origin, albeit the rules have occasionally been bent. What is does do, though, is narrows the pool of players that the northern club can sign from and this can lead to a limited squad or just potential stagnation. With that in mind, it is astonishing they have never been relegated from Spain’s top-flight.
An eighth placed finish last year will irritate The Lions as they were Copa del Rey semi-final losers to Osasuna, as well as finishing below them in the table. Ernesto Valverde remains in charge of a team that are always extremely difficult to beat and still boast an impressive squad, especially with both Inaki and Nico Williams in attack.
REAL MADRID
Carlo Ancelotti remains in charge of Real Madrid but it appears to be a bit of an open secret that the Italian will depart Los Blancos to become the Brazilian national team manager at the end of the season. It would therefore seem a bit weird that he is overseeing what is essentially a transitional period with the club after the loss of Karim Benzema during the summer. Real Madrid are looking for a big year this year after failing to win La Liga or the UEFA Champions League in 2023.
La Liga clubs have spent about £265 million so far this summer but Real Madrid account for about £110 million of that due to the arrivals of Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham, Joselu and Fran Garcia. The missing piece in this part of the Madrid rebuild would be an elite attacker to replace Karim Benzema: a Kylian Mbappe shaped hole, essentially. Until that seemingly inevitable arrival, Ancelotti is having to adapt with a diamond formation used in pre-season, allowing Bellingham to get forward and support Vinicius and Rodrygo.
THE TEAM NEWS
ATHLETIC BILBAO
Ahead of the opening day of fixtures, Ernesto Valverde has a fully fit and available squad. The Athletic manager prefers a 4-2-3-1 system but that was heavily criticised whilst in charge of Barcelona.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Simon; de Marcos, Yeray, Lekue, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Vesga; Berenguer; Sancet, N.Williams; I.Williams
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
REAL MADRID
In the last couple of days, it has been confirmed that Real Madrid will now be without Thibaut Courtois for the majority of the campaign due to an ACL injury. Los Blancos, as mentioned, have been deploying a 4-4-2 diamond system in pre-season.
PREDICTED XI (4-1-2-1-2): Lunin; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Camavinga; Tchouameni; Modric, Valverde; Bellingham; Vinicius, Rodrygo
UNAVAILABLE: Courtois (Injury), Mendy (Injury), Guler (Injury)
QUESTIONABLE:
THE PREDICTION
Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic tend to play a 4-3-3 in possession but, hosting Real Madrid, that is likely to be a little more cautious. In fact, given it is Valverde, the hosts’ are unlikely to play on the front foot whatsoever, but they will be confident of posing problems to a Madrid defence getting to grips with a new system in front of them and one that has been leaky in the past. With Bellingham pushing on to both Rodrygo and Vinicius, they are expected to be very fun this season and they are favourites for this one.
TIP: REAL MADRID TO WIN
