Real Madrid vs. Athletic Bilbao: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info

Real Madrid's focus may now rest largely with the UEFA Champions League after qualifying for the competition's semi-finals, but they host Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Wednesday hoping to preserve some fine domestic form.

Los Blancos are unbeaten in their last six La Liga matchups and can move within one point of second-placed Atletico Madrid with a victory over Los Leones.

Athletic's form has been far patchier, meanwhile, and despite recently beating Villarreal to take their first away league victory of 2018, they fell to a 3-2 home defeat to Deportivo La Coruna in their following match.

Los Leones have been woeful away from home this La Liga season and have kept only two clean sheets in foreign territory, making it unlikely they'll stand a chance under the Santiago Bernabeu lights on Wednesday.

Read on for a match preview, complete with the latest team news and live-stream information.

Date: Wednesday, April 18

Time: 8:30 p.m. BST/3:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

Live Stream: Sky Go app (UK), beIN Sports Connect (U.S.)

TV Info: Sky Sports (UK), beIN Sports 3 (U.S.)

Team News

Nacho Fernandez hasn't played a part in Real's last two league fixtures due to a thigh injury and seems likely to sit out a third in succession in midweek, and he's the club's only senior injury doubt.

Jesus Vallejo has gone through injury woes of his own this season but should partner Sergio Ramos in central defence against Athletic, although broadcaster Deji Faremi bemoaned the absence of Nacho:

Athletic will be pleased to welcome both Ander Iturraspe and Unai Nunez back after the pair served suspensions, although Xabier Etxeita could miss out after suffering a knee injury against Depor on Saturday.

Aritz Aduriz has started Athletic's last six successive league games on the bench, leaving Inaki Williams to deputise up top in his stead, but the veteran could be recalled to have a swifter impact against Real. 

Preview

The remaining weeks of La Liga's season will bear as much fruit as Real are willing to work for. Barcelona are on the cusp of mathematically winning the title, but there's still much left to fight for just below.

As disappointing as the start of this season was at the Santiago Bernabeu, manager Zinedine Zidane has at least partly succeeded in piecing it back together, exhibited by his impressive win record at the club, per OptaJose:

Failure to finish above Atletico would also represent something of a shameful moment for Real, and it's fixtures such as this in which they need to remain vigilant and avoid any other slip-ups.

Athletic held Los Blancos to a 0-0 stalemate when they met at San Mames in December, and the Spanish Football Podcast illustrated why they might hope to get something out of this clash as well:

Jose Angel Ziganda's men have slumped down La Liga's pecking order after enjoying a fruitful winter period, and their nothing-to-lose attitude could be the difference that enables them to get a shock result.

But Athletic's miserable away record combined with Real's renewed resolve points to a home win in midweek, as Real look to keep their juggernaut chugging toward a successful end to the season.