Predicted lineups: Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao, 2019 La Liga

Real Madrid host Athletic Bilbao in their last game of 2019 and they’ll do so without Casemiro, who saw his fifth yellow card of the 2019-2020 Liga season during Wednesday’s El Clasico against Barcelona.

Luka Modric, Fede Valverde, Toni Kroos and Isco will be expected to start in Real Madrid’s midfield if coach Zinedine Zidane decides to keep using the encouraging 4-4-2 formation he deployed against Barça.

Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois, Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Mendy, Valverde, Kroos, Modric, Isco, Rodrygo, Benzema.

Athletic Bilbao predicted XI: Simón; Lekue, Yeray, Martínez, Berchiche; San José, Dani García; Williams, López, Ibai; Raúl García

Athletic Bilbao are a quality team but Real Madrid should still take care of business here as the favorites. Either way, Los Blancos will need to play with composure if they want to earn the three points. If Benzema keeps playing the way he has played lately, Madrid should have enough to earn the win.

HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA

Date: 12/22/2019

Time: 21:00 CEST (local time), 03:00pm EST.

Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain.

Available TV: BeIN Sports (USA), Movistar La Liga (Spain)

Available Streaming: BeIN Sports Connect (USA), Fubo.TV (USA).

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