Real Madrid have wins over Real Betis and Granada as they look to improve upon their second-place finish from last season. They made a number of offseason moves to catch up with Barcelona, and now they must prove their ability on the pitch.
It looks like an uphill battle for Athletic Bilbao and a tough contest. Aside from being dominated by Real Madrid, they’ve lost by large margins in Madrid as well. Real Madrid have won this corresponding fixture 5-1, 4-1, 5-1 and 5-1 in the last four seasons.
“To get something positive from the Bernabeu, Athletic must be brave,” Athletic Bilbao midfielder Mikel Rico said. ”You can always improve, even if you win. We need to try and be better every day.”
Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao have matched their upcoming opponent with wins over Real Valladolid and Osasuna to start the year. Of course, things will get much tougher when they face one of the top clubs in Europe.
This will be the first true test for both teams in what is certain to be an entertaining season.
When: Sunday, Sept. 1 at 6 a.m. ET, 11 a.m. BST
Where: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain
