La Liga 2016/17: Athletic Bilbao 1-2 Real Madrid - 5 Talking Points

Real Madrid clinched a narrow 2-1 victory against Athletic Bilbao at the San Mames to go 5 points clear at the top of La Liga. The win came courtesy of goals from Karim Benzema and Casemiro, with both goals being set up by none other than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Zinedine Zidane’s side took the lead through Benzema in the 25^th minute when the Frenchman’s first-time shot beat the Bilbao goalkeeper after Ronaldo had squared the ball for him to tap home. Aritz Aduriz scored the equalizer for the home side in the 65^th minute to set up an exciting finale before Casemiro bundled home from close range to seal the win for Los Blancos.

Here are the biggest talking points from the game:

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#1 Discipline a bigger issue for Real Madrid than injuries

Bale was suspended for three games following a red card against Las Palmas

Real Madrid’s title challenge looked to be in jeopardy in recent weeks due to the absence of key personnel at crucial times. Despite that, Zinedine Zidane’s side have managed to come up trumps and restore their lead at the top of the La Liga.

However, with games coming thick and fast towards the business end of the tournament, his side’s disciplinary record is a bigger concern for Zidane than injuries. Gareth Bale had to miss the last 3 games due to a red-card received in the 3-3 draw against Las Palmas earlier in the month.

Casemiro will have to sit out of the next home clash against Alaves due to a yellow card picked up during the win over Bilbao. The Brazilian was lucky to have lasted the full 90 minutes against the Basque outfit having been involved in numerous altercations with opposition players during the game.

Zidane needs to control his players if they are to win the La Liga title this season, otherwise, it will again be a case of falling just short for the Santiago Bernabeu outfit.

#2 Inaki Williams won’t be an Athletic Bilbao player for long

Williams made a mug of Marcelo

Inaki Williams was sensational against Real Madrid and deserved at least a goal for his exploits on the night. The 22-year-old breezed past the Real defence at ease to set up a few chances for himself and his teammates.

Marcelo – considered by many to be the best left-back in the world – was made to look like just another defender as the Ghanian got the better of him on the right flank at least 3-4 times. It is clear as day that Williams is too good a player for the Basque outfit and it remains only a matter of time before one of Europe’s biggest clubs come calling for the services of the 22-year-old.

Williams has 6 goals and 7 assists to his name this season and has already been linked with top clubs across Europe. The question now is not whether he chooses to join a bigger club but instead, when he chooses to join a bigger club.

#3 Is Gareth Bale the outsider in BBC?

Is Bale the one?

Much has been said about the prolific yet not-so-hard-working trio of Bale, Benzema and Cristiano in recent weeks. The triumvirate have been criticized for their defending, or the lack thereof, but Zidane has still decided to persist with them.

While Benzema and Ronaldo combined to create the first goal and also threatened every now and then, Bale cut a peripheral figure for most of the game. Cristiano Ronaldo has assisted the Frenchman on 19 occasions – more than any other player in the Real Madrid team – but the same cannot be said about the combination of Bale and Benzema or Bale and Ronaldo.

The Welshman’s work rate was also questionable during the win as he marked his return to the side with an anonymous performance. Going by current form and keeping the best interests of the team at heart, Zidane should opt to bench Bale and start one of Lucas Vasquez, James Rodriguez or Sergio Asensio in his place.

#4 Real Madrid’s defensive frailties remain

Attack hasn’t been Real Madrid’s biggest problem, it is the defense!

Los Blancos may be 5 points clear at the top of La Liga but their defensive woes are visible to one and all. The Santiago Bernabeu outfit were on the ropes for much of the second half as Athletic piled the pressure but just managed to hold on courtesy of the home side’s profligacy in front of goal.

Scoring goals has never been the problem for Real Madrid, which is evident by their current streak of scoring in 50 consecutive games, it has always been preventing their opponents from scoring.

Zidane’s side have kept only 2 clean sheets in their last 12 games across all competitions and it won’t be long before the Santiago Bernabeu outfit drop crucial points because of their defense.

#5 El Clasico more important than ever

Will El Clasico decide the title?

Madrid are set to host Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu for one of football’s most anticipated fixtures – El Clasico – later in the month. Los Blancos currently have a 5-point advantage over their arch-rivals, with the Camp Nou outfit having the opportunity to reduce the deficit to 2 points on Sunday when they come up against Valencia.

This sets us up for an exciting and all-important El Clasico with the winner on the night potentially having a clear cut advantage in the title race. Should Real Madrid record a win, it will be the Sucker Punch for Barcelona’s title hopes, while a win for the Catalan giants will ensure that the title race goes right down to the wire.

Who will prevail in the El Clasico? Will it be Los Blancos who will seal their title triumph with a win or will the Blaugrana have the last laugh, your guess is as good as mine.