• Gareth Bale of Real Madrid competes for the ball with Aritz Aduriz of Athletic Bilbao during the Primera Liga match at San Mames on March 18, 2017 in Bilbao, Spain. Real Madrid won the match 2-1. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
    Gareth Bale of Real Madrid competes for the ball with Aritz Aduriz of Athletic Bilbao during the Primera Liga match at San Mames on March 18, 2017 in Bilbao, Spain. Real Madrid won the match 2-1. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
  • Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas, left, and Sergio Ramos, fail to block the ball as Athletic Bilbao’s Aritz Aduriz scores. Alvaro Barrientos / AP Photo
    Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas, left, and Sergio Ramos, fail to block the ball as Athletic Bilbao’s Aritz Aduriz scores. Alvaro Barrientos / AP Photo
  • Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid react after going a goal down to Athletic Bilbao. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
    Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid react after going a goal down to Athletic Bilbao. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
  • Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas stops the ball. Vincent West / Reuters
    Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas stops the ball. Vincent West / Reuters
  • Karim Benzema of Real Madrid competes for the ball with Aymeric Laporte of Athletic Bilbao. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
    Karim Benzema of Real Madrid competes for the ball with Aymeric Laporte of Athletic Bilbao. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
  • Real Madrid’s Casemiro, right, scores the winning goal. Luis Tejido / EPA
    Real Madrid’s Casemiro, right, scores the winning goal. Luis Tejido / EPA
  • Marcelo Vieira reacts during La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
    Marcelo Vieira reacts during La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
  • Real Madrid’s Casemiro, right, scores the winning goal. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
    Real Madrid’s Casemiro, right, scores the winning goal. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
  • Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
    Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
  • Aymeric Laporte of Athletic Bilbao is injured during thematch against Real Madrid. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
    Aymeric Laporte of Athletic Bilbao is injured during thematch against Real Madrid. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
  • Gareth Bale of Real Madrid competes for the ball with Aritz Aduriz of Athletic Bilbao during the Primera Liga match at San Mames on March 18, 2017 in Bilbao, Spain. Real Madrid won the match 2-1. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
    Gareth Bale of Real Madrid competes for the ball with Aritz Aduriz of Athletic Bilbao during the Primera Liga match at San Mames on March 18, 2017 in Bilbao, Spain. Real Madrid won the match 2-1. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
  • Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale heads the ball against Athletic Bilbao’s Mikel San Jose. Alvaro Barrientos / AP Photo
    Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale heads the ball against Athletic Bilbao’s Mikel San Jose. Alvaro Barrientos / AP Photo
  • Karim Benzema of Real Madrid competes for the ball with Aymeric Laporte of Athletic Bilbao. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
    Karim Benzema of Real Madrid competes for the ball with Aymeric Laporte of Athletic Bilbao. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
  • Karim Benzema of Real Madrid competes for the ball with Kepa Arrizabalaga of Athletic Bilbao. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images
    Karim Benzema of Real Madrid competes for the ball with Kepa Arrizabalaga of Athletic Bilbao. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce / Getty Images

Football

Cristiano Ronaldo draws a blank but Casemiro winner against Athletic Bilbao keeps Real Madrid top – in pictures

Liz Claus

March 19, 2017

  • English
  • Arabic

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane hailed his side’s character to hold off an Athletic Bilbao onslaught as Casemiro proved their unlikely hero in a vital 2-1 win on Saturday.

The Brazilian midfielder slotted home from close range 22 minutes from time to move Madrid five points clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

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