Key Takeaways:
- Real Madrid defeated Athletic Bilbao 3:0 away in their midweek 15th round La Liga clash
- Kylian Mbappe netted twice and assisted Eduardo Camavinga, raising his league tally to 16 goals
- Xabi Alonso’s side ended a run of three consecutive draws and sits one point adrift of leaders Barcelona
Match Overview and Context
On Wednesday evening at San Mamés, Real Madrid delivered an emphatic 3:0 display to overcome Athletic Bilbao in the 15th round of La Liga fixtures. The visitors, guided by Xabi Alonso, dominated proceedings, notably through the outstanding efforts of Kylian Mbappe who notched two spectacular goals – in the 7th and 59th minutes – and provided an assist for Eduardo Camavinga’s strike just before the interval.
🏁 FT: @Athletic_en 0-3 @RealMadridEN
⚽ 7' @KMbappe
⚽ 42' @Camavinga
⚽ 59' @KMbappe
👉 @Emirates pic.twitter.com/kSc1PVfFsp— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) December 3, 2025
The triumph saw Real Madrid snap a sequence of three straight draws, re-establishing themselves as serious title contenders by moving within a single point of early pace-setters Barcelona. In contrast, Athletic Bilbao, who have struggled with inconsistency, remain 8th in the standings on 20 points after suffering their third defeat in five matches.
| La Liga 2025/26 Matchday 15 | Result |
|---|---|
| Athletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid | 0:3 |
| Scorers | Minutes |
| Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) | 7′, 59′ |
| Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) | 43′ |
Key Player Contributions
Mbappe’s early impact put Real ahead after just seven minutes with a superb individual effort from outside the area, marking his 15th league goal in as many matches and bringing his season total in La Liga to 16. He remained central to Real’s attack, creating opportunities before turning provider for Eduardo Camavinga in the 43rd minute, whose close-range finish doubled the advantage.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois played a crucial role as well, keeping the hosts at bay during key stages of the first half. With the score at 0:1, Courtois produced top-class saves to deny Gorka Guruzeta and Alex Berenguer, preserving Real’s slim lead before the visitors pulled away.
Team News and Tactical Adjustments
Both sides went into the fixture hampered by significant absences. Athletic Bilbao’s coach Ernesto Valverde was forced to field a weakened side, missing Iñaki Williams through injury, Oihan Sancet due to suspension, and Yeray Alvarez following a positive doping test. The hosts set up with Gorka Guruzeta spearheading the attack, supported by Alex Berenguer, Mikel Jaureguizar, and Nico Williams.
Real Madrid were also not at full strength, as Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, David Alaba, and Dean Huijsen were sidelined with injuries. Xabi Alonso made two changes from the previous draw with Girona, re-introducing Alvaro Carreras and Eduardo Camavinga to the starting line-up in place of Fran Garcia and Arda Güler. The established attacking trio of Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham were retained, with Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde anchoring the midfield.
Match Action: First and Second Half
Real Madrid wasted no time seizing the initiative, with Mbappe testing Unai Simón as early as the 4th minute. Simón then denied Vinicius Junior from distance, but could do little to prevent Mbappe’s opener following a brilliant solo run. Athletic’s best chance of levelling came in the 25th minute, only for Courtois to deny Guruzeta. The Belgian goalkeeper then produced another sharp stop from Alex Berenguer after inventive play from Nico Williams. Vinicius Junior nearly extended the lead, rounding Simón but striking the post from a tight angle, before missing another chance shortly afterwards.
Two minutes before half-time, Trent Alexander-Arnold lofted a cross to Mbappe, who directed a header to Camavinga for an easy tap-in, sending Real in with a two-goal cushion at the break.
Valverde responded with two substitutions at half-time, and Bilbao began the second half with renewed energy. Alejandro Rego unleashed a fierce shot that Courtois pushed away for a corner, but the hosts’ hope was dashed in the 59th minute. Mbappe struck again, unleashing another long-range drive after receiving the ball from Alvaro Carreras, leaving Simón helpless for the third time.
With the tie effectively settled, Alonso rotated his squad, replacing all three scorers plus Vinicius Junior and Eder Militao. The latter stages saw little threat to Madrid’s advantage, though Unai Simón produced a fine save from Federico Valverde near the end, and Mikel Vesga missed a late consolation for the hosts.
Historical Record and Standings Impact
This result continues Real Madrid’s recent dominance in head-to-head clashes, having secured three wins and a draw in their last five meetings with Athletic. The most recent prior encounter came on 20 April 2025, ending 1:0 in Real’s favour, while before that the Basques managed a 2:1 home win. With this latest victory, Los Blancos maintain momentum in their pursuit of La Liga’s summit, one point behind leaders Barcelona. Athletic Bilbao hold 8th position with 20 points, their inconsistent form underlined by three defeats in the past five fixtures.
