Previews
VIE 12.02.2016
Team News:
- Real Madrid: Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Pepe (all injured).
- Athletic Club:Ibai, Raul Garcia and Markel Susaeta (injured); Inaki Williams and Mikel San Jose (suspended)
Match Facts: Real Madrid (3rd, 50 pts):
- Los Blancos head into this encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu on the strength of a 2-1 win away to Granada. That said, this was a victory snatched late on thanks to Luka Modric's stunning long-range strike, which happened to be his first LigaBBVA goal of the campaign.
Did you know that @SergioRamos has netted four La Liga strikes against Athletic Club? #RMLiga #HalaMadrid https://t.co/P2bwuXH7gR
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) February 12, 2016
- As in every game between now and the end of the season, Real Madrid cannot afford to slip up: only three points will do as they seek to close the gap on the top of the table. On this occasion they come up against an Athletic side they put to the sword earlier in the season thanks to a brace from 19-goal Karim Benzema, one of the form strikers in the division.
Athletic Club (6th, 35 pts): - Following a draw against Villarreal CF last time out, Athletic are equally in need of victory in order to keep up their push for a European place in the face of fierce competition. Evergreen veteran Aritz Aduriz, who has netted 13 goals in LaLiga, will spearhead the Bilbao outfit's attempt to triumph at the Bernabeu for the first time in over 10 years.
- "We know we're not favourites, but matches are decided on the pitch and we have to give it our best shot, as always," Ernesto Valverde remarked in the build-up to Saturday's game.
What's on in Madrid this weekend
To tie in with the action at the Bernabeu, why not make your way to the Madrid arm of the French Institute? Once there you can check out the photography exhibition "Zz, Zidane con todas sus letras" (Zz, Zidane spelled out), a collection of 39 snapshots taken of the now Los Blancos coach during the final 100 days of his playing career.
Getting to the Santiago Bernabeu
Address: Avenida de Concha Espina 1, 28036, Madrid.
Metro: Line 10 (Santiago Bernabeu).
Bus: 14, 27, 40, 43, 120, 126, 147 and 150.
Stadium location here
Time: 16:00 CET
Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu
Referee: Alvarez Izquierdo, Alfonso Javier
TV: Watch the game in your country
Hashtag: #RMAvATH Preview in numbers
© LALIGA - 2016