Jose Angel Ziganda: "Real Madrid are a machine"

Athletic Bilbao boss Jose Angel Ziganda has paid tribute to Real Madrid ahead of Wednesday's La Liga clash between the two teams at the Bernabeu.

Madrid have been unable to defend the La Liga title that they won so impressively last season, with Barcelona currently clear at the top of the table.

Los Blancos also bowed out to Leganes in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, but Zinedine Zidane's side are in the semi-finals of the Champions League once again, and Ziganda has branded the Madrid giants "a machine".

"Real Madrid are a machine – if they play well then they will win and if they do not play well then they will still win," Marca quotes Ziganda as saying.

"Madrid struggled in the first half of the league but have been fantastic following on from that both in La Liga and the Champions League. They have many important players who can decide a game, they will be difficult to spot."

Madrid have won 10, drawn three and lost three of their 16 home La Liga fixtures during the 2017-18 campaign.