Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Bilbao prediction, odds, expert betting tips and best bets for La Liga match | Sporting News

With the Champions League looming in just over a week, Real Madrid look to maintain their advantage at the top of the La Liga standings as they host Athletic Club at the Bernabeu on Sunday.

Los Blancos will feel confident of their eight-point advantage with nine matches to go, they haven’t quite yet put Barcelona to bed, and can’t afford any more slips if they wish to have a simple run-in to the domestic campaign.

Carlo Ancelotti was ready to have goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois back from his early-season ACL tear in this match, but the Belgian cruelly tore ligaments in his other knee while training over the international break, and will be shelved for another lengthy spell. Eder Militao is on track for a comeback from the same injury, and could be brought back into the fold shortly, but they are sweating the fitness of the versatile Eduardo Camavinga.

The biggest blow in this match for Madrid will be the absence of Vinicius Jr, who is suspended for yellow card accumulation. That will mean Joselu should start up front alongside the in-form Rodrygo.

Athletic Club will be an extremely difficult prospect, having suffered just two league defeats since the start of November. They are in a vicious battle for the final Champions League place, sitting a point above Atletico Madrid who have lost two straight.

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Real Madrid vs Athletic Club prediction, odds

• Moneyline lean: Draw (+320)
• Score prediction: Real Madrid 1-1 Athletic Club

Real Madrid can be caught here. Key players like Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, and many others all played significant minutes for their national teams over the break, meaning they could require rest.

Athletic are a dangerous side, and while they’re slightly less effective away from home, they can produce a result here. Backing an opponent to win at the Bernabeu is risky, but a draw is a viable result here, and it would make the remaining title chase a lot spicier as Barcelona would suddenly find themselves with an outside chance of catching their rivals.

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club match facts

• Date: Sun, Mar. 31, 2024
• Kickoff time: 9 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT)
• Location: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium (Madrid, Spain)
• Last meeting: Athletic Club 0-2 Real Madrid (Aug. 12, 2023 | La Liga)

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club best bet

• Pick: Under 2.5 total goals
• Odds: +100 (BetMGM)

Athletic Club are exceptional defensively, and while they can be caught on occasion, as Real Madrid did in their last meeting en route to a 2-0 victory, they have also come up big at the back when required. Their back line is anchored by goalkeeper Unai Simon, who has statistically been the second-best shot-stopper in La Liga this season, holding an impressive +6.8 xGOT/goal differential, behind only Giorgi Mamardashvili of Valencia.

A hamstring injury to regular left-back Yuri Berchiche could have been detrimental, but in his absence they’ve managed clean sheets against both Barcelona and Alaves.

With Real Madrid missing talisman Vinicius Jr, Athletic should be able to keep an overall lid on this match, even if Madrid do find a goal or even a second. The question is whether they can find the net themselves, something they’ve managed to do just three times in the last eight matches against Los Blancos.

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club prop bet

• Pick: Rodrygo anytime goal scorer
• Odds: +200 (BetMGM)

With Vinicius Jr suspended, Rodrygo becomes the most dangerous forward in the Real Madrid lineup. While Jude Bellingham is always a threat to score, he has come back down to Earth in recent months as the forwards take over the goal scoring duties at large.

Joselu is not a reliable option in front of net, regardless of how much Carlo Ancelotti lauds his fit within the club, but Rodrygo has come into his own this season. The 23-year-old has played the part of Karim Benzema to Vinicius’s Cristiano Ronaldo role, scoring 13 goals and eight assists while largely operating in the large shadow cast by his fellow Brazilian up front.

While six of his eight league goals came in a three-match span through November, he was on the scoresheet in Brazil’s recent friendly with Spain, potentially foreshadowing another run of form. He also bagged a goal against Athletic in the reverse fixture, his first goal against the club in 10 tries. He is ready to take on a starring role with Vinicius looking on from the sidelines.

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club live stream, TV channel

Every match across the entirety of the 2023/24 La Liga season is available to stream in the United States on ESPN+, including this match between Real Madrid and Athletic. Additionally, the match has been selected to be televised in Spanish on ESPN Deportes, which is accessible on Fubo, who are offering a FREE trial for new users.

In Canada, this match can be streamed exclusively on TSN+, while the game is accessible in the UK on both Viaplay’s streaming platform as well as LaLigaTV.