Prediction and odds for the game: Real Madrid (1/3) v Athletic Bilbao (7/1)
Back the over 2.5 goals at odds of 4/6
When: Sunday 22nd December 2019, Kick-off 8 PM
Where: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium
On Sunday night, Real Madrid host Athletic Bilbao at the Bernabeu, as Los Blancos attempt to keep pace with arch-rivals Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
Real Madrid
The visitors are currently level on points with their great rivals. However, after Wednesday’s 0-0 draw in El Clasico between the two teams at the Nou Camp, Barcelona are ahead of Los Blancos via goal difference.
Zinedine Zidane’s team have drawn their last two league games at Valencia and of course against Barcelona, both of which were difficult fixtures for the team from the capital. The home side’s recent league matches have been low-scoring affairs, with under 2.5 goals scored in their last three La Liga games.
The home side has been highly impressive in defence this season, as only Atletico Madrid have conceded fewer goals in La Liga.
Los Blancos are currently eight games unbeaten at the Bernabeu in La Liga, having recorded six wins in the process. The home side has been prolific on home soil of late in the Spanish top-flight, having scored at least two goals in six of their last seven league outings at the Bernabeu. Zidane’s team has also kept clean sheets in three of their last four matches.
Athletic Bilbao
The visitors are enjoying a relatively steady campaign in the Spanish top-flight, as they currently sit seventh place in the table, only one point outside of the European spots.
Their chances of pushing into the top-six have not been helped by picking up just one point from their last two games against Real Betis and last time out Eibar. The draw against Eibar means Athletic have kept two clean sheets in their last three league outings.
Athletic’s recent form has been patchy, to say the least, as they have won just four of their last 12 outings in the Spanish top-flight.
The visitors recent away record in La Liga is poor, as they have won just once in their last ten matches on their travels. They have also lost three of their last five away games in the Spanish top-flight. The visitors recent league matches on their travels have been relatively low-scoring, with nine of their last 11 games producing under 2.5 goals.
Bilbao have failed to defeat Real Madrid in the last eight meetings between the two teams in all competitions. On current form, that record is unlikely to end on Sunday night.
Conclusion
Real Madrid will be desperate to get back to winning ways and stay with Barcelona and we think they will triumph, which we are backing at odds of 1/3. We are also backing the over 2.5 goals at odds of 4/6. Not imaginative bets, but pretty solid picks really.
Verdict: Back the home win at odds of 1/3 and/or the over 2.5 goals scored at odds of 4/6. (All odds are taken from Bet365).
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Will Real Madrid get back to winning ways against Athletic Bilbao?
