Sun Apr 20 18:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Athletic Club Faces Bernabéu Hex in Crucial Match Against Real Madrid

**Madrid, Spain** – Athletic Club de Bilbao travels to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium on Sunday to face Real Madrid in a La Liga clash fraught with history and high stakes. The Basque side carries a significant psychological burden: they haven’t won at the Bernabéu in over 20 years. Their last victory there came in the 2004/05 season, a 2-0 triumph under manager Ernesto Valverde, with goals from Asier del Horno and Andoni Iraola (now manager of Bournemouth). Since then, despite 20 attempts, Athletic has failed to secure a win, managing only draws on several occasions.

This weekend’s match sees Athletic arrive boosted by their Europa League semi-final qualification against Manchester United, dreaming of a final at San Mamés. In contrast, Real Madrid are reeling from a humiliating 5-1 aggregate defeat to Arsenal, fueling speculation of a squad overhaul. Victory in either the Copa del Rey or La Liga is crucial for manager Carlo Ancelotti to appease disgruntled fans.

The match presents a compelling contrast: a confident Athletic aiming to break a long-standing jinx against a struggling Real Madrid battling to salvage their season. The outcome could significantly impact both teams’ remaining ambitions.

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