Athletic Bilbao take on the visitors Real Madrid in the round 19 match of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Wednesday, November 4th at Estadio San Mamés (Bilbao).
Athletic are a historic giant of Spanish football, though their unique approach to recruitment, relying exclusively on players of Basque heritage, limits their ability to strengthen the squad. However, Ernesto Valverde, who returned to Bilbao in 2022, achieved great success in his second stint. By his second year, the team managed to win the Copa del Rey and even contend for a top-four finish in La Liga, though archrival Atlético Madrid eventually edged them out of the Champions League spots. Nevertheless, the club secured a return to European competitions, albeit in the Europa League. Athletic started with a draw away against Roma but has since secured consecutive victories, including a win over Elfsborg in the last round. Meanwhile, in La Liga, they remain consistent with a performance level comparable to last season, despite losing their starting goalkeeper, Unai Simón, to surgery. A recent win over Rayo Vallecano solidified their position in the top four.
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Real Madrid faces serious challenges this season. Los Blancos had an impressive campaign last season, recovering from their 2022/2023 setbacks to claim the Spanish Super Cup, the league title with games to spare, and yet another Champions League trophy. Over the summer, they added Kylian Mbappé to their roster, seemingly enhancing their already star-studded lineup. However, the departures of key players like Toni Kroos and Nacho were overlooked, leading to cracks in the squad. By November, Florentino Pérez was reportedly on the verge of dismissing Carlo Ancelotti after successive heavy defeats to Barcelona and AC Milan, both at the Santiago Bernabéu. Despite the setbacks, Real Madrid has bounced back with key wins, while Barcelona faltered. A victory over Getafe allowed Los Merengues to reclaim the lead on points lost in La Liga. However, their Champions League form remains shaky, highlighted by a 0-2 defeat to Liverpool last week.
In the last four encounters between these teams, Athletic managed only one draw, losing the other three. Real Madrid enters the match as favorites, but Ernesto Valverde's Athletic has proven capable of surprises, especially at home. Considering Athletic's recent form and Real Madrid's occasional inconsistencies, betting on the Basques to avoid defeat could be a wise choice.
Prediction for the match: Athletic Bilbao not to lose (1X).
