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Real Madrid vs Athletic Club Prediction, 5/23/2026 Soccer Pick, Tips and Odds

by Josh Schonwald - 5/22/2026

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Game: Real Madrid vs Athletic Club

Date: Saturday, May 23, 2026

Location: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, Spain

TV: ESPN Deportes

Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, Spain is where Athletic Club (13-6-18) will meet Real Madrid (26-5-6) on Saturday. Real Madrid are priced at -128 while the Lions are at +106. The total is set at 3. The expected starting goaltenders are Thibaut Courtois for Real Madrid and Unai Simon for Athletic Club.

soccer picks Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid predictions best bet odds

The Meringues have allowed 33 goals while surrendering 0.89 goals per 90, and opposing teams have 115 shots on target against them. They have earned 14 clean sheets, which gives them a % of 37.8% on the season. Real Madrid has compiled 68 yellow cards so far this year and 7 red cards. The Meringues sit at 18th in the matter of xG with 18.3, and the squad's xGA are sitting at 19.0. So far this season, the club is averaging 2.24 pts/match (83 points) and also have a ranking of 2nd among European teams with 52 assists. Their difference in goals is at 40 with the help of 73 goals put in the net in addition to 33 goals conceded. Real Madrid has tallied 86 saves and hold a SV% of 71.3% so far this season.

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So far this season, Athletic Club has a save rate of 63.0% (146 SoT against), and have a ranking of 10th in European soccer with 45 pts. The Lions have an average of 1.2 pts per fixture while accumulating 28 assists and 7 red cards. Athletic Club has totaled 41 goals and the squad's expected goals so far this year is sitting at 18.7. Athletic Club has earned a clean sheet rate of 16.2% so far this year in addition to 79 yellow card warnings. The club's goals against/90 minutes is 1.46 with 97 saves, and they have recorded 6 clean sheets. Athletic Club has a rank of 11th in the matter of goals given up having 54, and the team's difference in goals is -13.

The man who will protect the net for Real Madrid is Thibaut Courtois. Courtois has seen the pitch for 41,906 minutes and is sitting with 1,110 stops in his pro soccer career. The keeper from Belgium has faced 1,517 shots tried against him in 468 career starts. His goals against per 90 minutes is 0.88 (412 total goals surrendered) and he is the owner of a save percentage of 73.2%. Courtois (294-93-78 record in his career) has 199 shutouts, which leaves him with a 42.7%% clean sheet percentage.

Unai Simon will be looking after the net for Athletic Club. So far in his career, Simon has conceded 251 goals and has tallied 555 saves in 237 starts. Simon has racked up 74 clean sheets while seeing 795 shots against him in 21,158 mins throughout his career. He sports a save % of 69.8% and his clean sheet rate is currently at 31.5%%. He has conceded 1.07 goals per 90 minutes while earning a record of 92-68-77.

Kylian Mbappe is a guy who can create chances for Real Madrid. The forward hailing from France has 347 goals in 34,614 professional minutes played. Mbappe has started 384 games during his career while he scores 0.90 goals per 90 mins. He has accounted for 114 assists while tallying 808 points in his pro soccer career.

Athletic Club is being led onto the pitch by Gorka Guruzeta, who the defense is sure to gameplan for in this matchup. He is currently averaging 0.35 goals per 90 minutes and has been a starter in 177 matches in his career. The forward born in Spain has been on the pitch for 14,595 minutes while scoring 56 goals. He has collected 131 points during his pro soccer career and has helped a teammate on a goal 19 times.

Who will win tonight's soccer game ATS?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Athletic Club (-128)

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