Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid predictions and betting tips – Blancos face another test

Real Madrid have dropped off top spot in La Liga after a dip in form in recent weeks. Given the perennially high expectations at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Xabi Alonso is starting to come under pressure.

That does not mean his job is threatened, but Alonso could do with a win when his side do battle with Athletic Bilbao.

• Real Madrid to win – 13/15 with 247Bet
• Under 2.5 goals – evens with BetMGM
• Kylian Mbappe to score any time – 3/4 with Midnite

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid odds

Find the latest Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.

Stay in play between matches with Betway’s casino!

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid predictions

By beating Barcelona 2-1 in the first Clasico of the campaign in October, Real Madrid took firm control of the La Liga title race.

What a difference a few weeks make. Barcelona boast a 100 percent record in La Liga since going down at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, registering victories over Elche, Celta Vigo, Athletic Bilbao and Alaves. 

By the time you read this article, Barcelona might also have beaten Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night.

Real Madrid, by contrast, have struggled since that triumph over their arch-rivals. They thumped Valencia 4-0 the week after getting the better of Barcelona, but three consecutive draws have followed.

First Madrid were held to a goalless stalemate by Rayo Vallecano, before they drew 2-2 with Elche and 1-1 with Girona. Curiously, all three of those matches came away from home, with Madrid once again on their travels in the midweek round of fixtures.

Having led Barcelona by five points after the Clasico, Madrid now trail their arch-rivals by a point. The gap may be wider by the time the Blancos take to the field on Wednesday, with Barca’s game against Atletico coming 24 hours earlier.

Madrid ought to have collected more than three points in their last three league outings. 

They were subdued against Rayo Vallecano, who deserved to take something from the game. But Madrid created more than enough chances to beat Elche and Girona. They were let down by profligate finishing on both occasions.

Nevertheless, Xabi Alonso has not been cut any slack. As a former Madrid player, he knows better than most that expectations and pressure are perennially high at the Bernabeu. Alonso will not be surprised that this run of poor results has led to criticism of his management.

Reports suggest that certain members of the Madrid dressing room are unconvinced by Alonso. Results over the next few weeks will be crucial in determining his future.

Needless to say, a victory over Athletic Bilbao would bring the under-fire manager some much-needed breathing space.

“We have to maintain the unity we have, with the necessary self-criticism,” Alonso said after the draw with Girona. “We’re eager to win away from home, something that has affected us a lot in this schedule. But we have to maintain the high standards that come with playing for Real Madrid.”

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid betting tips

Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid are ready to lock horns in La Liga this midweek.

Madrid need a win

Athletic Bilbao ran out 2-0 winners against Levante at the weekend, leaving them eighth in La Liga at the beginning of December.

That is not a bad position for Athletic to be in, but Ernesto Valverde’s side are searching for greater consistency as we move towards the midway point of the season.

Athletic’s last 11 results are: win, draw, loss, win, loss, loss, loss, win, draw, win, loss. They have not won back-to-back matches since August.

That is one reason to back Real Madrid on Wednesday. Another is that, despite some disappointing results of late, the underlying numbers show that Alonso’s side are still dominating matches.

Tip Real Madrid to win at 13/15 with 247Bet

Goals to be few

There is no doubt that Real Madrid need to sharpen up in front of goal. Creating chances counts for nothing unless you convert them.

Madrid’s wastefulness is probably only a temporary issue, but they will find it difficult to fashion as many opportunities against Athletic Bilbao as they did against Elche and Girona.

Athletic are a tough nut to crack at San Mames, which is home to one of the best atmospheres in Spanish football.

Valverde’s team will be aggressive, intense and physical when Madrid come to town, so Alonso’s side may have to grind out a win here. Goals are likely to be few and far between.

Go for under 2.5 goals at evens with BetMGM

Mbappe the main man

Kylian Mbappe was on the scoresheet against Girona, converting a penalty midway through the second half to bring his team level.

The France international is enjoying an excellent season in front of goal, having found the back of the net 23 times in 19 appearances in all competitions. 

Fourteen of those strikes have come in La Liga, which puts him six goals clear of Robert Lewandowski and Vedat Muriqi at the top of the scoring charts.

Mbappe can move onto 15 league goals in 2025/26 on Wednesday evening.

Back Kylian Mbappe to score any time at 3/4 with Midnite

Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid predicted lineups

• Athletic Bilbao expected lineup: Simon; Gorosabel, Laporte, Vivian, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; Berenguer, Sanchez, N. Williams; Gomez
• Real Madrid expected lineup: Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Militao, Rudiger, Carreras; Camavinga, Valverde, Tchouameni; Bellingham; Mbappe, Vinicius.

Where to watch Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid

• Location: Estadio de San Mames, Bilbao, Spain.
• Date and time: Wednesday 3rd December, 6pm.
• How to watch: Premier Sports 2.

More La Liga predictions

We have plenty more La Liga predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.

More La Liga free bet offers

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• GambleAware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.