The Matchday 32 clash in La Liga between Real Madrid and Athletic will take place on April 20 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Real Madrid vs. Athletic: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Real Madrid
The team secured a hard-fought victory in their last away match against Alaves (1-0). This marked the fourth win for the capital team in their last five La Liga fixtures (1 loss). With seven rounds remaining in the 2024/25 La Liga season, Madrid sits second, trailing leaders Barcelona by four points. They also boast the second-best attacking record in the league with 64 goals scored.
- Exactly two or three goals have been scored in 7 of Real's last 9 La Liga matches.
- Both teams have scored in 7 of Real Madrid's last 9 league games.
- In their last six La Liga matches, the club has only won once in the second half (4 draws and 1 loss).
Predicted lineup for Real Madrid (4-4-2)
Thibaut Courtois – Antonio Rüdiger, Fran García, Lucas Vázquez, Raúl Asensio – Aurélien Tchouaméni, Arda Güler, Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga – Rodrygo Goes, Kylian Mbappé.
Defenders Ferland Mendy, Éder Militão, Dani Carvajal, and goalkeeper Andriy Lunin are sidelined due to injuries. Forward Kylian Mbappé will miss the match due to suspension.
Athletic
In the previous round, the Basques hosted Rayo Vallecano and defeated the Madrid side 3-1. This marked their fifth consecutive unbeaten match in the league, during which Ernesto Valverde's side secured two wins and three draws. The team continues to hold the fourth spot in the standings, six points behind Atletico. Villarreal is also six points away in fifth place, but they have a game in hand.
- In their last 22 La Liga encounters, the club has only lost once (11 wins and 10 draws).
- No more than two goals have been scored in 5 of Athletic's last 6 league matches.
- The first half ended in a draw in 10 of Athletic's last 13 away games in La Liga.
Predicted lineup for Athletic (4-3-3)
Unai Simón – Andoni Gorosabel, Adama Boiró, Dani Vivian, Aitor Paredes – Unai Gómez, Beñat Prados, Mikel Haurregui – Álvaro Djaló, Gorka Guruzeta, Álex Berenguer.
Referee
Juan Martínez Munuera (Spain)
Matches – 15 (La Liga, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 74;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.9;
Red cards shown – 6;
Average fouls per match – 27;
Penalties – 27%.
Match Prediction: Real Madrid vs. Athletic
In the first round, the Basques defeated the capital club 2-1. However, prior to that, Madrid had not lost to this opponent in 18 consecutive La Liga matches, securing 13 wins and 5 draws. At the Santiago Bernabeu, the statistics are even more impressive: Real Madrid's unbeaten streak in the league stands at 19 matches (16 wins and 3 draws), with the capital side scoring fewer than two goals only four times in those encounters.
Unlike the Basques, who can afford to drop points in the upcoming match, Madrid cannot afford to lose any more precious points. Even a draw would likely end their chances of competing for the championship title. I am confident that Carlo Ancelotti's side will prevail in this encounter, as they need to bounce back from their recent home defeat to Valencia in La Liga. Additionally, Real Madrid is very strong at home, having lost only twice in their last 39 La Liga games at the Bernabeu (32 wins and 5 draws).
My prediction – Real Madrid to win
