Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Prediction, Preview, Team News and Lineups 20.04.2025

Event Details

• Date and Time: Sunday, April 20, 2025, 3 PM EDT
• Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain
• Competition: La Liga

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Preview and Team News

Real Madrid Team News

Real Madrid, on the back of their soul-crushing 1-2 loss to Arsenal in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal, will take on Athletic Club Bilbao at home in La Liga on Sunday. 

While it will be quite challenging for Madrid to motivate themselves to play this game, they have everything left to challenge for in La Liga, as they are currently ranked second in the league table. 

They will not have much time to dust themselves off from this rare Champions League loss but all of the players are professionals and they know what to do. 

🔵 @ViniJr
🟠 @BellinghamJude pic.twitter.com/wXX2HgtlY4

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) April 18, 2025

With several reports stating that manager Carlo Ancelotti is expected to leave the club after the Copa del Rey final, it will be all the more imperative for him and his staff to pick up all three points against Bilbao. 

However, injuries to Andriy Lunin and Kylian Mbappé will hamper the team’s cause. The latter, who is the leading goal scorer in La Liga this season, picked up an ankle injury against Arsenal and will not be available till May. 

Along with these players, Ferland Mendy, Daniel Carvajal and Éder Militão continue to be long-term absentees for Madrid.

Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Athletic Club (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rüdiger, Alaba; Tchouaméni, Modrić; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Güler; Vinicius Jr.

Athletic Club Team News

Athletic Club Bilbao, who are ranked fourth in La Liga currently, know that this will be the best time to hunt Real Madrid down from the hallowed perch the latter often inhabit. 

Bilbao know well that Madrid are hurting after being knocked out of the Champions League by Arsenal, and will have a lot of gaps in their midfield and defence. 

It is obvious that something is amiss at Madrid, and all fingers point towards their outdated tactics and strategies. This can, in turn, allow Bilbao to utilise their wings a bit more to exploit whatever space they can get against their opponents. 

©️ Óscar de Marcos reaches 7⃣5⃣ European appearances… and tops it off with an assist! 🎁

🤜🤛 Our captain has moved level with Markel Susaeta as the Lion with most continental matches.

💭 The dream is on, Skipper!#AthleticRangersFC #UniqueInTheWorld 🦁 pic.twitter.com/OI3B1Cwo7s

— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) April 18, 2025

Yuri Berchiche is the only player ruled out for Bilbao with a calf injury in this game and manager Ernesto Valverde will have his best players to select in this encounter. 

Inaki Williams has created the most big chances for Athletic Club Bilbao (12), and will be the player most closely tracked by the Madrid defenders. 

If Williams manages to bring his colleagues into the attack with his one-two playing style, the game could very well end up going Bilbao’s way.

Athletic Club predicted lineup vs Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Simon; De Marcos, Alvarez, Vivian, Lekue; De Galarreta, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; Guruzeta.

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Prediction

• Pick: Real Madrid to win
• Odds: –147 (20Bet)
• Score prediction: Real Madrid 2-1 Athletic Club

Despite their recent form, which includes two consecutive losses in the Champions League and a narrow 1-0 win over Deportivo Alaves in La Liga, we expect Madrid to have an upper hand in this game. 

Bilbao may struggle to form a cohesive defensive unit in this encounter, especially as they are playing away from home. This means that Madrid will have everything going their way, and all they have to do is not miss chances in the final third. 

Although they were beaten 1-2 by Bilbao in the reverse fixture, Madrid have held a historical advantage over their opponents. Los Blancos have won 22 out of the 32 games recorded between these teams, out of which 11 have come at home.

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Prediction, Betting Tip

• Pick: Both teams to score
• Odds: -135 (20Bet)

Madrid have scored 7 goals in their last 5 matches, which means that they still have a lot to improve in the attacking third. 

Yet, what is commendable for them is the fact that they have been quite consistent and have not been weighed down by their opponents, and have managed to break through rather regularly. 

👔 @MrAncelotti: “We have to hold our heads high, we must learn from it and fight in the next game.”
📺 Press conference ➡️ RM Play

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 16, 2025

Interestingly enough, Madrid have also been awarded the most penalties this season (12), which means that they have made a lot of forays into their opponents’ box every game in this campaign. 

The fact that they are ranked 1st at home this season in La Liga will give Los Blancos a lot of confidence. 

For Bilbao, while Inaki Williams is a big threat, attacker Sancet too can pose challenges that the Madrid defenders – intent on their zonal marking system – may find quite hard to get around.

✊😍

The dream is still alive, family.#AthleticRangersFC #UniqueInTheWorld 🦁 pic.twitter.com/SdVfHQ57GE

— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) April 17, 2025

 It will be a test of both teams inside their own defensive halves in this game as we expect both teams to score. Sancet has scored 15 goals so far this season in La Liga and has an expected goal percentage of 9.34.

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Where to Watch (USA, Canada)

• ESPN, ABC (USA)
• TSN (Canada)

Disclaimer: The content provided on this page, including all soccer predictions, odds, and related information, is for entertainment and informational purposes only. While we strive to ensure accuracy and timeliness, we do not guarantee the correctness or reliability of any predictions, data, or information presented here.

By Mohul Bhowmick

Updated: 19 Apr 2025, 06:44