Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid Prediction & Betting Tips - LaLiga

Prediction published on 02/07/2020, 05:58  by James | Modified on 02/07/2020 at 06:58 in LaLiga Predictions

Real Madrid travel to take on Athletic Bilbao in La Liga this weekend. Madrid are top of the table, clear of Barcelona by a point with a game in hand that they are set to play on Thursday night. Bilbao are seventh in the table with qualification for European competition being their primary goal. Getafe are four points ahead in sixth, the final Europa League place, and Bilbao have an outside chance of catching Sevilla in fourth for that final Champions League spot, which is nine points away. Bilbao have been impressive since returning to La Liga action last month, unbeaten in five of their six matches, a run that includes three wins. As ever, the Basque side are especially strong at home, making a forttress out of San Mames. Only four teams in the Spanish top flight have better home records than Bilbao, who have won three of the last four matches played on their own patch. Madrid have failed to win on their last two visits to Bilbao and have failed to win four of the last five matches between these teams. This will be one of the toughest tests of the title run-in for Zinedine Zidane's side. It's handy then that Madrid have the best away record in the division.

Madrid have won four of their last six away matches in La Liga. Many of the division's most in-form players are operating in the Madrid starting eleven, including Eden Hazard, Sergio Ramos, and Karim Benzema. Commanding the role of lead forward with confidence, Benzema has scored three goals and provided one assist in his last four matches. While Madrid's attack has been key to their recent success, their supremacy in the title race is built on the back of a strong defence. Three clean sheets in their last four matches have bolstered the best defensive record in La Liga, with only 21 goals being conceded across 32 matches. Games between Bilbao and Madrid tend to be tight with four of the last five featuring fewer than three goals. We can see a similar event occurring for this fixture, with the game likely being decided by the odd goal. Back fewer than 2.5 goals to be scored.