Rampant Real Beat Bilbao In Seven-Goal Thriller

Real Madrid eventually came out on top at San Mames after a simply scintillating encounter with Athletic Bilbao that featured seven goals, eleven yellow cards and two red cards.

The defending league champions never looked entirely comfortable in front of a ferocious crowd but they managed to come away with the win courtesy of their attacking prowess and numerical advantage.

The visitors were the first to land a blow as Arjen Robben finished off a swift move by smashing past Gorka Iraizoz and they soon made it two when Gabriel Heinze headed home from a free-kick.

Athletic were not about to lie down though and Heinze became the villain for Madrid as he poked a cross into his own net. The goal will be remembered more for what followed it though as, out of nowhere, Fran Yeste pushed Iker Casillas to the ground and received a straight red card.

Even that did not stop the hosts though and they were level before the break when Fernando Llorente beat Casillas with a header from a set-piece.

After the interval Madrid soon regained the lead though as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar fired home from close range within two minutes of the restart. The Dutch striker grabbed his second less than twenty minutes later too when he rounded off a superb counter-attack by chipping over the on-rushing Gorka.

In between the goals, Ion Velez was sent off without even coming onto the pitch for something he said on the touchline and then late on Marcelo went down in the box and won a penalty that Gonzalo Higuain slotted home.

A first-half packed full of drama and incidents started as it meant to go on, as referee Muniz Fernandez dished out two yellow cards in the opening five minutes inside a fiery San Mames. The home team made their intensity and desire known from the off but couldn't fashion any chances early on as the visitors held firm.

Indeed, it was Madrid who took the lead when some static defending allowed Robben to be played in over the top, and he weaved his way into the box and onto his left foot, before drilling into the top corner. The goal owed as much to the skill of the Dutchman as it did poor marking and the second that followed was also down to some slack work at the back.

This time it came from a set piece as Wesley Sneijder whipped in a free-kick from the left that Heinze managed to get to before Gorka Iraizoz, and head into an empty net. Even with just thirty minutes gone the game seemed to be beyond Athletic but Heinze turned from hero to villain as he deflected a cross from the right flank into his own net soon after scoring at the other end.

The goal sparked wild celebration from the Basques but, in the ensuing drama, Yeste inexplicably pushed Iker Casillas to the floor and was deservedly shown a straight red card. It was not clear where Yeste's frustration came from but the referee had no choice but to send him down the tunnel.

Three more yellow cards followed in the next three minutes as the game boiled over and it looked as though Madrid would go in with a lead at the break. However, with four minutes added on, Athletic drew level when Llorente powered a header at goal from a David Lopez free-kick that Casillas should have dealt with, but ended up just palming into the net.

The goal signaled an end to a frantic half of football but things did not slow down after the break as Madrid retook the lead within two minutes. Raul found Huntelaar on the left with a pass and Andoni Iraola gave the striker too much time to pick his spot and shoot past a motionless Gorka.

The game was going along at a relentless pace and Ion Velez was sent off without even stepping onto the pitch for protesting too vigorously from the bench. Even with ten men Athletic were still causing Madrid trouble but they pushed too many men forward from one corner and were punished by the defending league champions.

Robben was the one who started the break, running with the ball from the half-way line and playing in Huntelaar, who performed a cool chip over Gorka to give his side another two goal lead. This time they did not surrender it straight away though and they looked the more likely to score immediately after as Huntelaar again had a chance to beat Gorka, but this time the 'keeper stood tall and saved.

They did eventually get another late on though when Marcelo went down under a sliding challenge from Iraola in the box and the referee gave a penalty. Higuain stepped up and sent Gorka the wrong way to give the score line a one-sided feel and make the win safe for Madrid.