Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid Prediction: the Whites Spent Millions But Still Needs Help

Prediction for the La Liga match between Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid, which will take place on August 12th. Despite the pitch factor, bookmakers are on the side of the capital team in the pairing, believing that the Whites will bring a total of three points from the Basque Country. Check the team conditions and choose several betting options!

Alvarez, Berchiche, and Garcia will not help the Basques on Saturday; all are in the infirmary. Before the start of the season, they played six friendlies, one of which they won against Necaxa, lost twice, and drew three times. On the transfer market, Atletico has had low activity so far. Martinez and Zarraga left the club as free agents, Nico Serrano and Unai Vencedor were given on loan.

Unlike the Basques, the capital team in the off-season held only four friendlies, but all were against top teams. Having prepared for the season, they won over Milan 3:2 and Manchester United 2:0 and lost to Barcelona 0:3 and Juventus 1:3. In the transfer market, Madrid has already spent 120 million euros, buying Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, Arda Guler, and Fran Garcia, on loan at Espanyol was taken Joselu. Recall that Marco Asensio and Karim Benzema left the club as free agents. Antonio Blanco left for four million euros to Alaves, and they did not renew contracts with Mariano Diaz and Eden Hazard. The last match against Juventus Real was played under the system 1-4-3-1-2, with strikers Joselu and Junior. The best in that game was Toni Kroos. Guler, Courtois, Mendy, and Ceballos will not help Real Madrid in the opening match.

The upcoming match may not be very eventful. Athletic knows how to sit on the score when necessary. It's a must not to lose to the wealthiest team in La Liga. Athletic can not boast great results in the offseason. However, they managed not to yield to Manchester United. Real Madrid needs more creativity and efficiency after Asensio and Benzema's departure. Barça and MU, in their last two H2H friendlies, scored only once. At the same time, we believe that Real Madrid can bring one point from Bilbao, hardly more. In general, we will not be surprised if the central match of the first round will end in a draw, say, 1:1.