Real Madrid 2 - Athletic Bilbao 1

Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Sergio Ramos, Mejía, Roberto Carlos; Diarra, Emerson (Beckham 46'); Reyes (Ronaldo 46'), Raúl, Robinho; Van Nistelrooy. 4-2-3-1.
Athletic: Lafuente; Iraola, Luis Prieto, Sarriegui, Expósito; Orbaiz (Murillo 57'), Javi Martínez; Etxeberría (Casas 80'), Yeste (Urzaiz 70'), Gabilondo; Aduriz. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Madrid: Mejía for Cannavaro / Athletic: Iraola, Sarriegui, Expósito, Etxeberría for Murillo, Ustaritz, Amorebieta, Urzaiz.

Goals:
0-1. 34. Luis Prieto. Struck angled shot wide of Casillas following short free kick.
1-1. 64. Ronaldo. Controlled Ramos pass from midfield and shot wide of Lafuente.
2-1. 82. Roberto Carlos. Shot from outside of area after Salgado passed on corner.

Real Madrid moved up to within a point of Barcelona after a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao. The visitors were under new management after Mané took over from Sarriugarte midweek, and his side went ahead when Luis Prieto latched on to a short free kick to beat Casillas ten minute before the break, referee Rodríguez Santiago waving away claims that Gabilondo was in a more than positional offside.

Up to that point though Madrid had had the better chances, with Raúl and Robinho shooting wide and Lafuente saving well from Salgado. Still Capello brought on Beckham and Ronaldo at half time, and the two substitutes both set up Van Nistelrooy for him to test the visiting keeper a couple of times soon after the restart.

Twenty minutes in to the second half Ronaldo levelled the scores after picking up a long pass from Sergio Ramos and turning a shot past the keeper. Athletic were left with ten men soon afterwards when Aduriz was sent off for elbowing Diarra in the face, and Roberto Carlos drilled home the winner following a corner with ten minutes to go.

Casillas still had some work to do, in particular to keep out a shot from Iraola late on, but they had extended their unbeaten run to seven games, and the Basque side went home with nothing, leaving them further down in the bottom three.