La Liga: Real Madrid vs Athletic Club - Betting Tips, Odds & Prediction

There was no fairytale comeback for Real Madrid in the second leg this week, as their Champions League hopes came to an end. Now, Carlo Ancelotti’s side will turn their full focus to La Liga, aiming to bounce back with a home win over Athletic Club.

With Barcelona holding a four-point lead and just seven games remaining, Real Madrid have little room for error. Their Monday morning guests, on the other hand, will look to cement their top four position with a statement win. 

Real Madrid 

Carlo Ancelotti’s future has become uncertain after the UCL quarter-final loss to Arsenal. Football expert tips specialists expected Madrid to win the second leg, but they failed to do so and suffered a 2-1 defeat to lose 5-1 on aggregate. 

While the La Liga title is still within reach, Barcelona’s relentless run and the growing discontent within Madrid’s camp raise legitimate questions about their ability to stay in the race. 

Team News: Kylian Mbappe will serve a suspension after picking up a direct red against Alaves. 

Predicted Lineup: Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Alaba; Tchouameni, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr; Endrick

Athletic Club 

At home, Athletic Club ended their run of three goalless draws with a commanding 3-1 triumph over Rayo Vallecano. The outcome allowed Ernesto Valverde's team to take a six-point advantage over fifth-placed Villarreal, although the Yellow Submarines still have a game in hand.

Athletic will be looking to take advantage of a demoralised Real Madrid team and move closer to third-placed Atletico Madrid. While the Basque side play better at home, they have the quality to give Real Madrid a run for their money and sports betting sites give them a live chance. 

Team News: Inaki Williams could make a return to the starting XI after picking up a recent injury. 

Predicted Lineup: Simon; De Marcos, Alvarez, Vivian, Lekue; De Galarreta, Jauregizar; N. Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; Guruzeta

• Both teams have found the net in just three of the last 10 meetings between these sides
• Real Madrid have won three of their last five home games against Athletic with an aggregate scoreline of 7-2
• Athletic Club has never won a La Liga match at Santiago Bernabeu

Athletic Club picked up a rare win against Real Madrid in the reverse fixture. Jude Bellingham cancelled out Alex Berenguer’s opener before Gorka Guruzeta dealt the decisive blow. Mbappe also uncharacteristically missed a penalty in that match. 

This could be a clash as eventful as that one. The Bernabeu crowd is hungry for a positive result after the devastating defeat against Arsenal. If Madrid cannot win this match, it would make their title chase incredibly difficult. 

That said, unlocking this Athletic defence could be a challenge without the magic of Mbappe. Athletic have conceded only once in their last five games and it could trouble a Madrid attack that seemed out of sync in recent weeks as well. We are expecting this match to end in a draw. 

Real Madrid 0-0 Athletic Club - $12

PlayUp has a 12x return on offer for punters who successfully predict a goalless draw.

As touched on above, Athletic will be looking to take something back from this tie. If they opt to settle for a draw, it will be no walk in the park for an Mbappe-less Madrid attack to unlock such a resolute defence, making this outcome a great shout at these odds.