Athletic Bilbao have the odds stacked
against them as they look to end Jose
Mourinho's record-breaking start.
Mourinho has led Real Madrid to nine
victories and two draws in his first 11 league
games in the hotseat, which is the best
return from a coach making his debut in La
Liga.
That success has left Madrid a point clear at
the top of the Primera Division standings,
while the Spanish giants have been equally
as successful in the Champions League and Copa del Rey, where
they have progressed through to the last 16 of both competitions.
As well as that, Madrid also boast the attacking and defensive
records in the league, netting 28 goals and conceding just five,
while in Cristiano Ronaldo they boast the leading scorer in the
division with 11 goals.
That all makes bleak reading for eighth-placed Athletic, who have
their own problems to worry about as well.
The Basque outfit have won just 13 times in 79 visits to the
Bernabeu down the years, losing 51, while in their last 12 league
and cup visits to Madrid`s home ground Athletic have suffered 11
defeats and conceded an average of more than three goals per
game in those matches.
Athletic have also picked up only one point from their last four
away games this season.
Coach Joaquin Caparros said: "We want to have a good game to
break, not only the bad run at the Bernabeu in recent years, but
also the negative run of results away from home this season.
"We`ve prepared so as to have a good game and that everything
turns out how we want."
Athletic captain Pablo Orbaiz added: "To win at a ground like this is
special. It`s clear that they have a very fast and very strong team
who create a lot of chances and it`s difficult to beat them, but Real
Madrid have always been like that.
"I`ve played against (Zinedine) Zidane, Ronaldo, (Luis) Figo, and
those players are at the same level of those who they have now.
"Real Madrid always have a great team, and this season is the
same. We are, as always, going there with plenty of respect but
with all the hope in the world to have a good game.
"We know it`s a difficult place to go, but we`re not going to gift
them anything. We hope to have a good day and things go well."
Athletic make the trip to the capital 13 points behind in-form
Madrid, who stayed top of the pack after beating Sporting Gijon
with a late Gonzalo Higuain goal last week.
Mourinho watched that game from the stands due to a two-game
touchline ban and the Portuguese will complete that suspension
tomorrow.
In his place on the bench will be assistant coach Aitor Karanka,
who as a player came up through the youth ranks at Athletic and
played for the Basque outfit both before and after his spell at
Madrid at the turn of the millennium.

Source:espnstar.com/football/primera-liga/news/detail/item533999/Real-Madrid-vs-Athletic-Bilbao-Preview/

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you can help put a poll on the thread, thats if it doesnt disappear like some other threads I created in the past.
keep up the good job.

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Real Madrid 2 - 0 AB