Athletic Bilbao 1 - Real Madrid 1

Athletic: Aranzubia; Javi González, Lacruz, Karanka, Del Horno; Oskar Vales, Alkiza; Joseba Etxeberría (Arriaga 87'), Gurpegui (Tiko 64'), Yeste (Ezquerro 81'); Urzaiz. 4-2-3-1.
Real Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Hierro, Pavón, Roberto Carlos; Makelele, Flavio Conceiçao; Figo, Raúl, Zidane; Ronaldo. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Athletic: Urzaiz for Ezquerro / Madrid: Pavón for Iván Helguera.

Goals:
0-1. 56. Ronaldo. Shot from edge of area after Aranzubia saved from Raúl.
1-1. 70. Del Horno. Turned ball past Casillas after long cross in from left.

Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao and stay in second place, now five points behind leaders Real Sociedad. The heavy rain which fell throughout the match made conditions difficult, and the game was not up to the usual standard of games between these two rivals. Athletic were the first to try their luck at goal, although the biggest threat to Casillas in the first half came from his own team mate, Roberto Carlos, who misdirected a header back towards his keeper. Ronaldo produced a dazzling run later in the half, but his shot was deflected over the bar by Aranzubia, and Casillas spilled a long shot from Urzaiz but gathered it up in time before the arrival of the opposing strikers.

Ronaldo fired another shot just wide after the break when Zidane put him through, but the Brazilian striker finally put the European champions ahead ten minutes in to the second half when the ball rolled to him after Aranzubia had blocked two shots from Raúl. However Athletic equalised a quarter of an hour later somewhat against the run of play when young full back Del Horno turned a long cross from the left wide of the keeper.

Madrid almost got the win they were looking for in a frantic scramble near the end following a corner with Hierro and Pavón involved, the ball striking the post twice before the defence finally got it away, but in the end Del Bosque had to settle for a third draw in a row, and must now forget the league and concentrate on next Wednesday's cup match at Mallorca. Athletic find themselves down in sixteenth place, two points above the relegation zone.