Real Madrid made the trip to Athletic Bilbao this evening looking to regain an outright grip on top spot in La Liga.
They got off to a good start when Cristiano Ronaldo scored a free kick in just the second minute.
The same player headed in a second after the restart, before substitute Gonzalo Higuain came off the bench to make sure of the outcome in the closing stages.
You can find out how the match unfolded with our minute-by-minute updates below.
Evening all. Got to admit, this is the match that I've been looking forward to all weekend in La Liga. Athletic Bilbao haven't had a great season, but they are still capable of producing the goods when it matters. Visiting Real Madrid will have to be on their guard, that's for sure.
Right, the team news is with us and with not long until we get underway at the San Mames, let's bring it to you now - starting with the visitors.
REAL MADRID XI: Diego Lopez; Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Albiol; Khedira, Xabi Alonso; Modric; Ronaldo, Benzema, Di Maria
And the home side...
BILBAO XI: Iraizoz; Ramalho, Ekiza, San Jose, Aurtenetxe; Iturraspe, Herrera, Muniain; Susaeta, Llorente, Ibai
So, the players are out on the pitch and the handshakes have been completed. There is a cracking atmosphere inside San Mames tonight. It's a real shame that this is the last season that Bilbao will play in this ground.
GAME ON! Here we go then. Madrid get us started...
GOAL! Bilbao 0-1 Real Madrid (Ronaldo)
Wow! Just wow. You run out of superlatives for a player like Cristiano Ronaldo. He lines up a free kick from 30 yards out and he has no right to even think that he can score from there. This is Ronaldo though and he fires a dipping shot over the wall and beyond the reach of Iraizoz in the home net. That is one of the best goals that I've seen him score from a dead ball situation.
Understandably, the Bilbao players seem a little stunned. They cannot of imagined that they would fallen behind so early to a goal from 30 yards out. They've got to regain their composure though because Madrid look extremely dangerous on the break.
Bilbao fans - you may want to avert your eyes for a minute. It's just been brought to my attention that you have not won any game this season where you have fallen behind. Still, it wouldn't be a bad match to stop the rot in, would it?
Here's a statistics from Opta over on Twitter: "Only Javi Varas (10) has conceded more goals to Ronaldo than Gorka Iraizoz in his La Liga career. Victim."
BOOKING! That is one of the worst bookings you are likely to see. Ander Herrera's flicked pass is blocked by Luka Modric's face and the Real Madrid midfielder is then cautioned for handball! He is understandably perplexed by the decision, as am I! How the officials have come to that conclusion is beyond me.
SAVE! That's much better from the home team as Fernando Llorente and Susaeta link to free the latter down the right side of the penalty area. The midfielder continues on, before driving goalwards. The ball is heading for the bottom left hand corner of the net, but Diego Lopez gets down well to push clear the danger.
That chance for Bilbao prompted Jose Mourinho to come to the touchline and he barked out a few orders. Since then, it's been all Real Madrid. Angel Di Maria and Ronaldo in particular are looking sharp and if they continue with this sort of form, there are more goals in this match for the visitors.
Iturraspe has just gone in late on Sergio Ramos and it went unnoticed by the referee. You get the impression that Ramos won't forget that so expect Iturraspe to end up in a heap at some stage! The Real Madrid defender has 16 red cards to date. That's an awful lot for a 27-year-old.
SAVE! Sami Khedira is not known for his goalscoring exploits, but he goes close to putting Madrid 2-0 up just now. The German international exchanged passes with Ronaldo on the edge of the Bilbao box, before curling an instant shot goalwards. Thankfully for the home team, Iraizoz gets across his line to hold the ball at the first attempt.
Another Madrid statistic courtesy of Opta: "Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 41% of Real Madrid’s goals away from home in La Liga in the Mourinho era (49 goals in 52 games) Lethal." Let's hope for Madrid's sake that he doesn't get injured between now and the end of the season.
Susaeta has been Bilbao's best player so far. He's been the only one that is willing to get hold of the ball and have a run at the Madrid defence. Just now he pushes into the area and drills a shot towards the goal, but Xabi Alonso stretches out a leg to block the effort at the last second.
OFF THE BAR! Real Madrid really should be celebrating their second goal of the night. Ramos lofts the ball over the Bilbao defence for Di Maria, who has a clear run on goal. He seems to be caught in two minds though and when he does eventually decide to shoot, the ball smashes against the bar before it is cleared. He should have done much better with that.
HALF-TIME: Bilbao 0-1 Real Madrid
The home faithful are not happy with the referee, who disallowed a goal from Fernando Llorente just seconds before he blew for the break. Replays show that it was a harsh decision, because the Bilbao striker barely touched Pepe before he went on to beat Lopez.
Those supporters have seen their side produce what is best described as 'nearly football' during that opening 45 minutes. They've got themselves into good positions on numerous occasions, but the final pass or shot has been lacking. Still, there is plenty for them to be positive about ahead of the second half.
In the other corner, Madrid have been efficient. They got an early goal - and what a goal it was - and since then they have been clever in their work. They've got numbers behind the ball and have made it hard for Bilbao to break them down. Should the home side commit more men forward after the break, you can expect Madrid to have some joy on the counter-attack.
Here we go then. Bilbao, attacking from right to left, get the second half inside the San Mames underway.
Ronaldo is not a happy bunny at the moment. Every time he gets the ball he seems to end up on the floor. What's annoying him even more is the fact that the referee is not dishing out any yellow cards.
We've got a stoppage in play as Alonso gets up high to win a header, before wiping out his teammate Khedira and Bilbao's San Jose on his way back down. All three briefly hit the deck, but following treatment, they are back up on their feet and play has resumed.
SAVE! A double stop from Iraizoz, who has kept Bilbao's hopes alive. First he palms clear a stinging cross from the left by Marcelo, before getting back up to parry away a volleyed effort by Karim Benzema. That was the French striker's first real involvement tonight - he's been really quiet so far.
BOOKING! Moments earlier Iker Muniain flashes a shot well wide of the target and he then decides to take his frustration out on Marcelo, who is hacked to the ground by the young Bilbao attacker. He's quite rightly booked and to be fair to Muniain, he accepts the decision.
SUBSTITUTION: First switch of the night is made by Madrid as a disappointed looking Di Maria is replaced by young attacker Jose Callejon. That shouldn't alter the way which Madrid play tactically because Callejon can fill any of the three attacking roles.
BOOKING! A yellow card has been coming for Iturraspe and it finally arrives. He can have no complaints either because he blatantly took a handful of Modric's shirt as the Madrid midfielder looked to burst down the right wing.
GOAL! Bilbao 0-2 Real Madrid (Ronaldo)
If there is one thing that Ronaldo does have over Messi, it's his ability in the air. The Portuguese attacker can leap freakishly high and he does so again to meet a free kick from Alonso. His header is powerful and leaves Iraizoz absolutely no chance. That could be came over.
SUBSTITUTION: Another alteration for the visitors as the rather quiet Benzema is taken off by Mourinho and on in his place comes Gonzalo Higuain. That's not a bad substitute to have, is it?!
BOOKING! An untidy sliding challenge from Toquero on Raul Albiol earns the Bilbao defender a yellow card. Replays show that he is actually lucky to avoid a red because it was rather dangerous.
GOAL! Bilbao 0-3 Real Madrid (Higuain)
If Ronaldo's double hadn't secured the win for Real Madrid, Higuain's first real impact certainly has. It's Ronaldo who sets it up with a neat flick through for the Argentine, who takes one touch to steady himself. The angle looks to be against him, but he drills in a low shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net. That's a really smart finish from the substitute.
SUBSTITUTIONS: A rather unpopular Ronaldo is replaced by youngster Morata. Obviously Ronaldo was desperate to score a hat-trick, but Mourinho has took him off for his own good. Things were beginning to get a little heated out there and there was no point Madrid losing their key player to injury. Meanwhile, Muniain is off for Bilbao and youngster Erik Moran comes on.
SUBSTITUTIONS: A rather unpopular Ronaldo is replaced by youngster Morata. Obviously Ronaldo was desperate to score a hat-trick, but Mourinho has took him off for his own good. Things were beginning to get a little heated out there and there was no point Madrid losing their key player to injury. Meanwhile, Muniain is off for Bilbao and youngster Erik Moran comes on.
Opta on Twitter again: "Cristiano Ronaldo has managed 2 goals and one assist in a league game for 3rd time this season (v Mallorca and v Valencia). Ovation."
It looks as though both sides want the referee to blow the final whistle now. Neither seem too bothered about attacking, which is making for a rather dull ending to this encounter.
We have three minutes of stoppage time to play at San Mames.
FULL TIME: Bilbao 0-3 Real Madrid
Well, that was surprisingly routine for Madrid. They put in a very professional performance and leave San Mames for the final time with a comfortable 3-0 success.
That's all we have time for from Bilbao. Thanks for joining our La Liga coverage throughout the day on Sports Mole. Until next time, goodbye.
Written by
Liam Apicella
Liam Apicella
