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Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao: Inspired hosts to extend winning run

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Zinedine Zidane’s men, though vastly inconsistent this term, are on a roll and are expected to record a third successive La Liga win.

Real Madrid welcome Athletic Bilbao late on Tuesday night for their 13th match of the La Liga season.

The defending champions have been hot and cold this season as they prepare for yet another test of their credentials after being thoroughly tested in the previous week.

Inconsistency would be an ideal word to summarize 2020-21 so far from Los Blancos’ point of view. However, they are on a four-match winning streak and have managed to hit top gear – or so it seems.

Bilbao are a team well capable of causing problems for the upcoming opposition, but not in their current form.

Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao Form:

The hosts scored full marks last week – a season-defining week for them – beating Sevilla and Atletico Madrid in the league and overcoming Borussia Monchengladbach in Europe.

The 1-0, 2-0, and 2-0 wins respectively helped them rise to third in the La Liga table and cut their deficit to just three points from the leaders, and avoid an early exit from the Champions League.

All in all, Los Blancos will have plenty of motivation when taking to the pitch at their temporary home on Tuesday.

As for the visitors, they will severely lack that motivation.

The Basque-based side have tasted victory only twice in their last seven league outings. The poor run of form saw them drop to 13th in the table and just three points above the relegation zone.

Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao Head-to-head:

Only once have Real Madrid lost against the upcoming opponents in this decade, that too narrowly – a 1-0 defeat at San Memes that dates all the way back to 2015.

Their last win came in the last season – another 1-0 away win in July.

Athletic Club have lost 14 of the previous 20 encounters with five of those ending in a stalemate.

Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao Team News:

Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic, Martin Odegaard, and Mariano Diaz all remain unavailable through injuries. If that wasn’t already enough, Casemiro is also suspended due to the accumulation of yellow cards.

Unlike Zidane, Gaizka Garitano has a fully fit squad.

Predicted line-ups:

Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao Latest Odds:

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