Athletic Bilbao 1 - Real Madrid 4

Athletic: Aranzubia; Expósito, Sarriegui, Amorebieta, Javi González; Iraola (Llorente 70'), Murillo; Etxeberría (Urzaiz 52'), Javi Martínez, Gabilondo (Yeste 52'); Aduríz. 4-2-3-1.
Madrid: Casillas; Cicinho, Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Miguel Torres; Diarra, Emerson; Beckham, Raúl (Reyes 87'), Robinho (Guti 76'); Van Nistelrooy (Higuaín 65'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Athletic: Javi González, Javi Martínez for Luis Prieto, Yeste / Madrid: Cicinho, Emerson, Beckham for Michel Salgado, Gago, Higuaín.

Goals:
0-1. 14. Sergio Ramos. Got on end of Beckham free kick to head in on far post.
0-2. 33. Van Nistelrooy. Steered header wide of Aranzubia from Cicinho cross.
0-3. 49. Van Nistelrooy. Controlled Cicinho pass and fired shot wide of keeper.
1-3. 80. Llorente. Header on past Casillas from long Yeste free kick.
1-4. 83. Guti. Ran on from half way line to chip shot over Aranzubia.

Real Madrid stay in third place, a point behind Sevilla and two below Barcelona, after a convincing 1-4 win at Athletic Bilbao in the last match of the weekend. The early chances fell to the home side, but Aduriz was unable to find the target. And with just under a quarter of an hour gone Sergio Ramos headed home a Beckham free kick early on to open the scoring for the visitors.

Aduriz blasted another good chance into the stands, and Beckham almost added to Madrid's lead with a glancing header from Raúl's long pass. But Van Nistelrooy didn't miss a couple of minutes later, steering a header wide of Aranzubia from Cicinho's cross. And just four minutes after the restart he got his second of the night, controlling the ball on the edge of the area after Cicinho's cross came off a defender before driving a shot past the keeper.

Casillas was called upon later in the second half to save from Iraola and Aduriz, but substitute Higuaín hit the post on a rapid counterattack at the other end. Mané put on all his fire power, and with ten minutes to go Llorente headed one back from Yeste's free kick. But just three minutes later Raúl sent Guti away for him to run on from the halfway line and chip the keeper for his side's fourth.