Real Madrid vs. Athletic Bilbao: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Real Madrid will play host to a surging Athletic Club squad on Sunday in Week 9 of the 2016-17 La Liga season.
Los Blancos snapped a three-match winless streak in emphatic fashion in Week 8, beating Real Betis 6-1. Their next opponents likely won't make things as easy on them, however, as Bilbao have won five of their last six La Liga outings and sit just three points behind Real and Atletico Madrid.
Here's everything you need to know about Sunday's clash.
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Date: Sunday, October 23
Time: 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
TV Info: Sky Sports 3 (UK), BeIN Sports USA (U.S.)
Live Stream: Sky Go, BeIN Sports Connect, fuboTV
Team News
As reported by Antonio Villalba of Real's official website, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos and Casemiro are still in the middle of a lengthy recovery process, but the Croat surprised a lot of people by taking part in a few running drills out on the pitch in training.
He's not expected to take part in Sunday's clash, however, placing more emphasis on Toni Kroos. Fabio Coentrao was a full participant in training, but he too will likely have to settle for a spot on the bench or in the stands, per the team's official Twitter account.
According to Athletic's official website, veteran forward Aritz Aduriz and Yeray Alvarez both picked up ankle injuries in the UEFA Europa League loss over Racing Genk. Both will undergo further tests, but their status for Sunday is in serious doubt.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Keylor Navas, Dani Carvajal, Pepe, Raphael Varane, Marcelo, Isco, Toni Kroos, Marco Asensio, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema
Predicted Athletic Club XI: Gorka Iraizoz, Inigo Lekue, Aymeric Laporte, Eneko Boveda, De Marcos, San Jose, Iturraspe, Iker Muniain, Raul Garcia, Inaki Williams, Sabin Merino
Preview
Bilbao's tactical plan will largely depend on the availability and fitness of Aduriz. The 35-year-old is by far the team's most gifted scorer, and with him out of the starting XI, manager Ernesto Valverde would have to make some big decisions.
He could move Merino to the striker position or opt for Inaki Williams, but in either case, the latter will be asked to move inside more than he normally does. With less space to play with on the counter, the Basques' biggest weapon―their raw athleticism―would be virtually negated.
Aduriz might recover in time, but even if he does, he'll never be 100 percent fit. All of this helps Real greatly, as they won't have to worry about the absence of Casemiro all that much.
The Brazilian has played a big role in shielding the defence whenever he has played―with Ramos out, Los Blancos could use a battering ram like the Brazilian. But with Athletic expected to sit back and be cautious, manager Zinedine Zidane can commit more men to the attack, with players like Asensio and Isco crashing the box in support of the forwards.
Asensio will be the one to keep an eye on―the youngster is enjoying a fantastic breakout season, as shared by Real Madrid TV's Phil Kitromilides:
Zidane has options, with the likes of James Rodriguez and Lucas Vazquez capable of supporting the attack as well. Alvaro Morata has also made the most of limited minutes, and his mobility could be a factor against Athletic.
The Basques have already conceded 10 goals in eight matches in La Liga, and a soft schedule has helped them make such a fast start. Expect Los Blancos to come out swinging for the fences, and the pressure to take its toll on Bilbao very soon.
