Athletic Bilbao vs. Real Madrid: Team News, Predicted XIs, Live Stream, TV Info
It was Athletic Bilbao's old San Mames that was considered Spanish football's "La Catedral," a famous ground notorious for its charged atmosphere and the challenge it presented its guests. But for Real Madrid, Athletic's new San Mames has so far proven more difficult than the old one: Across two visits to date in the league, Madrid have walked away with just a single point.
Consequently, Marca's question this week was a simple one: "Third time lucky?"
When the fixtures for the 2015-16 La Liga season were released, Wednesday's trip to Basque Country would have been identified as the first genuine test of the campaign by Rafa Benitez's men. Indeed, though 10 points from a possible 12 and four straight clean sheets have represented a strong start for Los Blancos, the opponents haven't exactly been daunting: Sporting Gijon, Real Betis, Espanyol and Granada.
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This meeting with Athletic, then, is an opportunity for Real to showcase a sense of progress under Benitez. Last term under Carlo Ancelotti, the men from the capital endured one of their worst outings of the campaign at the San Mames in a 1-0 loss, and the Basques recently handed out a 4-0 hammering to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup when the Catalans made the trek there.
It's the classic "tough place to go."
Wednesday's trip is also extremely important for Real Madrid given the task facing their title rivals on the same night. In yet another difficult early-season away fixture, Barcelona head to Galicia to take on the high-flying Celta Vigo at Balaidos—the same Celta Vigo that proved a real handful at home for all of the league's top five in 2014-15.
A points swing is possible.
Athletic, meanwhile, will have been buoyed by the success Granada had against Madrid on Saturday when pressing high to deny space and time from Benitez's men.
"We covered off their midfielders," said Granada manager Jose Ramon Sandoval in his press conference after his side's rather unlucky 1-0 defeat at the Bernabeu. "It left their central defenders on the ball, and without Sergio Ramos they lacked that option to switch the ball quickly."
Athletic is renowned for using a similar approach. Under Ernesto Valverde, Los Leones' system is based upon a foundation of intensity, pressing and the use of a high defensive line, meaning Wednesday's hosts will undoubtedly look to inflict the same sort of headaches.
It's also imperative for Valverde's side to start establishing some momentum in La Liga. With only one league victory to date Athletic currently sit in the bottom half, with Wednesday's game against Madrid quickly followed by the Basque derby and a visit from Valencia.
What's more, the club certainly won't want the San Mames to be the site where Cristiano Ronaldo sets the all-time record for Real Madrid goals.
The Portuguese currently trails Raul by just two.
Match Details
Date: Wednesday, September 23
Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. EDT / 9 p.m. local
Venue: San Mames, Bilbao, Spain
TV Info: Sky Sports (UK), beIN Sports (U.S.)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), beIN Sports CONNECT (U.S.)
Form Lines
| L: 1-3 vs. Villarreal | W: 1-0 vs. Granada |
| W: 3-1 vs. Augsburg | W: 4-0 vs. Shakhtar Donetsk |
| W: 3-1 vs. Getafe | W: 6-0 vs. Espanyol |
| L: 0-2 vs. Eibar | W: 5-0 vs. Real Betis |
| W: 1-0 vs. MSK Zilina | D: 0-0 vs. Sporting Gijon |
| L: 0-1 vs. Barcelona | W: 2-1 vs. Galatasaray |
Team News
Sergio Ramos' fitness remains in doubt for Real Madrid after suffering a shoulder injury last week against Shakhtar Donetsk, and one senses Benitez won't be taking any risks with his star centre-back at this early stage of the season. Consequently, Pepe and Raphael Varane are likely to form a pairing once more.
Elsewhere, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez and Danilo are still absent through injury, allowing Isco, Lucas Vazquez and Daniel Carvajal to continue at their respective positions.
Meanwhile, in central midfield expect Toni Kroos to be alongside Luka Modric from the start; however, it's almost certain that the more defensively minded Casemiro will be used at some point in this difficult fixture away from home.
For Athletic, Iker Muniain, Eneko Boveda and Jonas Ramalho are unavailable through injury, while long-term absentees Ander Iturraspe and Inaki Williams remain one or two games away.
As a result, Benat and Mikel San Jose will occupy Valverde's double-pivot, while Aketxe or Ibai Gomez will hold down the left-sided berth in an attack that will also feature Aritz Aduriz and Raul Garcia.
Predicted Lineups
In the Spotlight
If he's with you, you love him; if he's against you, you hate him.
Outside his team-mates, you'd imagine Raul Garcia has few friends among his La Liga counterparts. At the same time, though, you'd also imagine he doesn't give a damn.
Feisty and physical, an instigator of friction, the Spaniard for almost four years was one of Diego Simeone's most loyal servants at Atletico Madrid, a sort of on-field embodiment of his former manager.
Of course, Real Madrid know all about Garcia. In the last two seasons, Real's 13 clashes with Atletico saw Marca dub their capital battle "the never-ending derby," and if the staggeringly regular matches continue, the men in white will likely be delighted that Garcia will no longer be involved.
He will be on Wednesday, however.
After being sold to Athletic on the final day of the recent transfer window, the former Atletico man scored on his San Mames debut against Getafe in the most predictable fashion: with his head. Funnily enough, his partner up front, Aritz Aduriz, loves doing the same.
Indeed, Athletic with the addition of Garcia now have a forward pairing of immense aerial strength, experience and nous. But they're also more than that; they're a duo of unrestrained aggression, happy to crash, bash and elbow their way through 90 minutes, and even after that they'll be ready for more.
Pepe and Varane, have fun.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Athletic Bilbao: 9-2
Draw: 14-5
Real Madrid: 1-2
