La Liga: An All Real Day

Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid

There’s a familiar look at the top of the early La Liga standings. Put simply, Real Madrid are the table toppers with three wins from three and are one of only two sides with a 100-per cent record. 

That will be a familiar sight to many SBOTOP followers of Spanish football.

The look towards the rear is not so regular, though, and doesn’t make good reading for one of the clubs usually accustomed to observing a loftier position.

Sure, it’s early days, but after two draws and a defeat, Real Sociedad won’t be best pleased in sitting 16^th.

So, when the sides meet on Saturday afternoon, can they finally kick-start the new campaign and deliver La Liga 2025 highlights?

 

Talking Points

It’s been a frustrating time for Sociedad. After qualifying for Europe five years in a row, winning the Copa del Rey, and making it back into the Champions League for the first time in a decade two years ago, things came crashing down to earth last year under Imanol Alguacil.

That was the impetus for a changing of the guard at the Reale Arena, with Sergio Francisco stepping up from the club’s B Team to replace him.

In Alguacil’s defence, the spine of the team has been significantly hollowed out over the last two summers. Mikel Oyarzabal and Alex Remiro remain and represent two key leaders within the starting XI, but the exits of Robin Le Normand last summer and Mikel Merino were felt hard.

That was followed a few months ago by the departure of Martin Zubimendi (following Alguacil and Sporting Director Roberto Olabe out the door), and it’s fair to say he has been missed – although even he alone may not have been able to lift them from their sluggish start to the new season.

The arrival of Carlos Soler from PSG for £6.9 million seems a snip and, while a gamble given his past few years of inconsistency, it will be worth every penny if he can rediscover his best form.

As for a wounded Real Madrid, it may not have been vintage, but three wins from three is more than the champions Barcelona or city rivals Atletico have managed.

It took a Kylian Mbappe penalty to see off Osasuna in their opener before a more comfortable 90 minutes saw them put three past newly promoted Oviedo without reply – Mbappe (two) and Vinicius Junior the marksmen, even if the game was in the balance until the closing stages.

Last time out, they edged past Mallorca with Arda Güler and Vinícius on target within a minute of each other after Vedat Muriqi had given the visitors a shock lead with the first goal conceded by Xabi Alonso’s men this term.

After being seriously hampered by absences last term, they will be quietly pleased with their start, with all eyes on their new boss as he returns to the club where he won six titles.

 

History

Sociedad have only one win over Real in their last 13 encounters.

It came at the tail end of 2022-23 as second-half goals from Takefuso Kubo and Ander Barrenetxea sealed a 2-0 home win, which helped Sociedad seal a Top 4 spot against the eventual runners-up.

Real secured a double last season. They won both games 2-0 with a penalty apiece from Vinicius and Mbappe, settling the corresponding fixture before Mbappe netted a double on the final day of the league campaign in the Bernabeu.

Their main excitement came in the Copa del Rey semi-finals last season, though. Madrid looked to have one foot in the final when young Brazilian talent Endrick grabbed the only goal of the game in the Basque Country. But they reckoned without a spirited fightback from Sociedad, which threatened to upset the odds in the Spanish capital. In the end, a 115th-minute header from Antonio Rudiger secured a 5-4 aggregate victory for Los Blancos.

Sociedad, trailing 1-0 from the first leg, took the lead through Ander Barrenetxea, but Endrick’s fine chip pulled Real level. An own goal and Oyarzabal’s deflected effort helped La Real open up a lead on the Spanish champions, but Madrid battled back with goals from Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni.

Oyarzabal grabbed his second in stoppage time to force extra-time, but his side could not hold off Madrid until penalties, with Rudiger’s header the final word in a pulsating tie.

Sociedad have caused the odd upset against the mighty Madrid on more than one occasion, though. That included a Copa del Rey success at the Bernabeu in 2020 when Merino grabbed the winner and was joined on the scoresheet by Alexander Isak (two) and Martin Ødegaard in a thrilling 4-3 win.

Overall, Madrid have 93 wins against Sociedad with 42 draws and 33 successes for the boys from the Basque region.

 

Betting Tip

Real Sociedad are a tricky opponent, particularly at home, but it says much for the might of Real Madrid that the hosts are priced 1X2 @ 4.73 and Asian Handicap +0.75 @ 2.03.

The draw @ 3.70 is an appealing option, as are bets on Total Goals 2-3 @ 2.00 and 4-6 @ 3.12.

It’s an away win all the way, though, with the La Liga 2025 betting odds as Real are on offer 1X2 @ 1.61 and Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.17.

A repeat of the corresponding fixture last season, which Real won 2-0, will pay out @ 7.80 with Correct Score. I think this will be tight, and I think there will be a few goals.

   

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