Still in the title race…
Real Madrid 1-0 Athletic Bilbao (Valverde). Back to winning ways. Here is the immediate reaction to the late win. Next for you: Player ratings, interviews and a ManagingMadrid podcast.
After crashing out of the Champions League, it is interesting to see where the season goes from here. Do Real Madrid continue to hit new low points going into the final games with two trophies left to play for – or can they salvage something from a disappointing season thus far? Fede Valverde would have to contribute from right-back again, with Eduardo Camavinga chosen at left-back for a big game against Athletic Bilbao. Dani Ceballos came back into the midfield, and Luka Modrić captained the team.
✅ Our starting XI!
@Athletic_en pic.twitter.com/wg0iUKq0vs— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) April 20, 2025
Fans would be hoping for some fight after Arsenal barely had to work to eliminate Los Blancos – but the first half had nothing in store for them. A penalty shout seemed to be Madrid’s only hope at grabbing a first-half goal, but the referee wasn’t interested in calling a potential handball. 0-0 at the break, and nobody was impressed.
This has been the worst Real Madrid game since our last match, which was the worst since the match before that, which was the worst since the match before that one, which was the worst since the match before THAT ONE.
— (@idoxvi) April 20, 2025
The second-half saw some slight improvements, with efforts from Jude Bellingham and Fede Valverde coming very close. It seemed like Vinícius Júnior had put Madrid into the lead with ten minutes to go, only for VAR to make an offside call in the build-up and chalk the goal off. They would find the winner in added time however, just as all hope for the league title seemed lost. Fede Valverde was the man to save us all, with a brilliant strike to keep the race one sided, but still very much on. Do you think Real Madrid can turn their season around?
