League leaders take on Athletic in rearranged clash | OneFootball

The Santiago Bernabéu will tonight host its second game in the space of four days as Real Madrid welcome Athletic in the sides' rearranged LaLiga Matchday 9 encounter (9pm CET). Our team will be out to extend its lead at the summit in this clash, which is Madrid's 15th outing of the season.

After chalking up a 10th league triumph on Sunday against Sevilla, Madrid are four points better off than Atlético, who have played 14 games, and Real Sociedad, who have been in action 15 times this term. Carlo Ancelotti's charges will be keen to begin the final month of the calendar year by extending their recent fine run of form and rack up a seventh win on the trot. Athletic always represent tricky opponents, but the madridistas have prevailed in the teams' last three meetings In his pre-match press conference, Ancelotti insisted that: "We're going to compete to win the LaLiga title, the team's doing well". The Italian coach is able to call on LaLiga's most prolific attacking duo in Karim Benzema and Vini Jr. (20 goals between them). Both the French hitman and the Brazilian take their places in the squad list for this encounter.

Battle for European berth Athletic Club lie three points off the Europa League qualifications spots and Marcelino has built a side that are difficult to beat. The visitors have tasted defeat just twice this term and boast the tightest backline in the division (10 goals conceded). Iñaki Williams and Raúl García, with three goals apiece, are the Basques' leading goalscorers.