Real Madrid suffered another title blow with a 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao through a first half header from Aritz Aduriz.
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Carlo Ancelotti’s team have gained just seven points from their last five games, and Barcelona now can go top by beating Rayo Vallecano at home.
The game started in a celebratory atmosphere following Athletic’s midweek progression into the Copa del Rey final, and the hosts made a suitably bright start to unsettle Los Blancos from the opening whistle.
Madrid exerted a brief flurry of pressure after ten minutes, when home defender Xabi Etxeita making an excellent clearance to deny Cristiano Ronaldo a shooting opportunity from Karim Benzema’s left-wing cross, before Pepe headed the resulting corner over the top.
The home team then produced the most fluent move of the match as Inaki Williams sent a precise crossfield pass into the path of Andoni Iraola who cut the ball back for onrushing midfielder Mikel Rico, but Marcelo did well to block his goalbound shot.
It was no great surprise when Athletic then took the lead, and the dynamic Rico was again involved as he was given time to deliver a pinpoint cross into the stride of Aduriz, who converted a brilliant header into the top right corner past Iker Casillas’s dive.
RT FootyLiveVines: GOAL ADURIZ! Athletic 1-0 Real Madrid http://t.co/zKuTVyxMPy #vine
— Tta (@_tta__) March 7, 2015
The visitors struggled to respond in the remainder of the opening period, with their frustration evident as Toni Kroos earned
a booking for kicking out rashly at Iraola.
Half-time arrived with Madrid failing to have forced home keeper Gorka Iraizoz into a save, but they started the second period in more purposeful fashion as Ronaldo’s cross was taken off Benzema’s toes by Mikel Balenziaga’s superb clearance and the previously anonymous Bale fizzed a low centre across the face of goal.
But Athletic continued to look dangerous coming forward and Aduriz forced a comfortable stop from Casillas with a 25 yard shot after a stray pass from Bale.
Isco’s low shot from the edge of the box finally demanded a routine save from Iraizoz, and the home keeper than raced off his line to deny Benzema after an Isco through ball found its way through the Athletic defence.
Iraizoz was again alert to come out and dive at the feet of Ronaldo – who was loudly barracked by home fans for his subsequent ambitious penalty appeal – after a piercing pass from Benzema, before Aduriz threatened a second with a header against the outside of the post after a poor clearance from Dani Carvajal.
Madrid nearly fluked an equaliser when a mishit cross from Bale deceived everyone and hit the post, with Jese Rodriguez having his follow-up effort blocked by Etxeita, but there was no way back as Athletic deservedly held on.
“@RmadridInfo: Vine: Gareth Bale shot http://t.co/whBWKgHOgG” so unlucky
— Ian McCluskey⚽ (@mccdinho) March 7, 2015
