Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
Both Real Sociedad and Real Madrid have had a shaky start to the new La Liga campaign, forcing both teams to step up their game following the international break. Real Madrid are deservedly considered the favourites for the matchup in San Sebastián, especially given the host's injury issues.
Real Sociedad
In their first four rounds of the championship, Real Sociedad have only managed to secure four points. They are struggling with their game organisation. For instance, in their previous match against defensive Getafe (0:0), they only managed one shot in 90 minutes, resulting in just 0.01 xG. Additionally, crucial midfield players Brais Méndez and Arsen Zakharyan, who have been injured since the start of the season, are now joined by team captain and main forward Mikel Oyarzabal. Oyarzabal, the scorer of the winning goal in the Euro 2024 final, sustained an injury while on national duty.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid's start has been less than convincing: they dropped points twice in their first four rounds, but the team's key stars are gradually getting into form and understanding each other better. In the opening rounds of La Liga, it was evident that Kylian Mbappe and Vinícius Júnior were reluctant to share the ball, but in their last match against Real Betis (2:0), Real Madrid clinched the victory. The team created 2.26 xG with 20 shots — an impressive figure against a top-7 opponent from last season.
Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid Prediction
In the previous campaign, Real Sociedad couldn’t compete effectively with Real Madrid in head-to-head clashes (1:2 and 0:1). Real Madrid are improving their finishing — and in San Sebastián, they will have plenty of opportunities.
