Madrid looked on their way to a win and taking over second place but a late Athletic Bilbao goal and a red card to Ronaldo kept them in third for now.
A wild second half at the San Mamés saw Real Madrid take a lead only to have Athletic Bilbao fight back to equalize. Before the match ended Cristiano Ronaldo was shown a straight red but neither side could find a winner as the match ended 1-1.
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Real Madrid came out firing early, coming close twice in the opening minutes with shots from distance that at the very least got Gorka Iraizoz's blood pressure elevated a bit.
It was Athletic Bilbao though who got the first real chance of the game in the 18th minute when Aritz Aduriz make a slicing run across the top of the Madrid 18-yard-box, eluding two defenders. The shot was not good enough, going just wide of the post. Two minutes later Iker Muniaín received a cross at the far post but his touch eluded him as he bobbled the ball out for a goal kick.
Madrid were all together lethargic after a strong start and Athletic couldn't take advantage as the match went to halftime scoreless.
Finally in the 65th minute a momentary defensive breakdown by Athletic was taken advantage of as Ángel di Maria fed Cristiano Ronaldo down the left wing. Ronaldo raced past his marker and centered to Jesé who directed the ball past Iraizoz with a sliding effort.
With Athletic needing a boost, Ibai Gómez entered the match in the 72nd minute and immediately changed the course of the game.
Gómez's first touch was a free kick that Sergio Ramos was able to clear out with a header. The ball went right back to Gómez who followed up is effort and the Athletic forward sent an absolute missile that went off Diego López's hand and into the goal to even that match at 1-1.
It was the first goal conceded by Real Madrid in 2014, ending a run of eight consecutive clean sheets for Los Blancos.
Minutes later Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off after a bit of pushing and shoving with Carlos Gurpegui. It was Gurpegui who started the kerfuffle by shoving Ronaldo after Ronaldo was protesting to the referee for a penalty after a non-existence handball. The Madrid striker reacted to the push by making contact with the Athletic player's face. Gurpegui went down immediately, making a meal of the minimal contact, and then handbags broke out. When the dust settled, Ronaldo was shown a straight red that has a good chance of being overturned on appeal.
In the 84th minute Gómez nearly won it for Athletic, launching a looping volley that was pushed over the bar by a fully extended Diego López.
Athletic Bilbao: Iraizoz, De Marcos (Iraola 59'), Gurpegui, Laporte, Balenziaga, Iturraspe, Rico (Beñat 87'), Herrera, Susaeta, Muniain (Gómez 72'), Aduriz
Goals: Gomez (73')
Real Madrid: Diego Loópez, Carvajal (Varane 89'), Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Alonso, Modrić, Di Maria, Jesé (Illarramendi 83'), Ronaldo, Benzema (Morata 87')
Goals: Jesé (65')
