Real Madrid heads to Bilbao to meet Athletic, who is always highly motivated when guests from Madrid come to town. This is the derby game of La Liga round 1, and it takes place at the New San Mames.
Before Betting on Athletic Bilbao vs. Real Madrid
The hosts have been in the middle of the standings for the past few years, far away from the relegation battle but also not so close to the top. They are a stable La Liga team with great history, yet the fans want something more, and they’ve put pressure on this team regarding the upcoming campaign.
Athletic played preseason games in Mexico, where they faced several teams, and the majority of their events ended with under 2.5 goals, to be precise, five out of six. It is the way Bilbao played throughout the previous year, and we rarely see this team participating in high-scoring affairs.
On the other hand, Real likes playing matches with plenty of goals, and three of four of their contests during the United States tour have seen over 2.5 hits. Real posted two wins, over AC Milan and Manchester United, and two losses, against Juve and Barca.
The team doesn’t have Karim Benzema, but the new system with a very fluid and powerful midfield can cover up the Frenchman’s departure. Vinicius is the main threat, but Bellingham, Valverde, Camavinga and the others are pretty lethal once they get close to the rival’s net.
Athletic Bilbao vs. Real Madrid La Liga Offshore Betting Odds
| Offshore Sportsbook | Athletic | Draw | Real |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | 3.40 | 3.55 | 2.18 |
| MyBookie | 3.44 | 3.55 | 2.20 |
| BetUS | 3.40 | 3.65 | 2.05 |
| SportsBetting.ag | 3.40 | 3.55 | 2.18 |
| XBet | 3.44 | 3.55 | 2.20 |
Our opinion is that Real has much better team, experienced enough to neutralize the hosts’ home crowd and their motivation. Not a single player in Bilbao can play in Real’s starting lineup, which perfectly shows the difference in quality between these two units. Therefore, the guests from Madrid are our pick here.
