La Liga: Villarreal Can Hit Two Birds in One Stone

Villarreal vs Real Sociedad

Villarreal can move up to third in the La Liga standings and inch closer to clinching a Champions League berth this week if certain La Liga 2026 results go their way this weekend. First, they must take maximum points when Real Sociedad visit town on Friday and hope that Atletico Madrid drop points against Real Madrid on Sunday evening. 

Marcelino Garcia Toral’s men are coming off a disappointing 1-1 draw against Alaves, as they needed a late equaliser to salvage a point. As of this writing, the Yellow Submarine are fourth in the Spanish top-flight with 55 points, two behind Los Rojiblancos and 11 ahead of fifth-seeded Real Betis.

Real Sociedad are three notches below Villarreal in the table with 38 points, and they’re vying for a European football spot next season. La Real are fresh from a 3-1 win over Osasuna, following their 3-2 loss against Atletico Madrid last week.

 

Talking Points

Pepe shows clutch gene for Villarreal

After failing to score in his last five games, Nicolas Pepe showed up when it mattered the most last week, as he scored in the 98th minute to save Villarreal from an embarrassing defeat against relegation-threatened Alaves. 

The former Arsenal winger fired in a wonderful left-footed strike that flew past goalkeeper Antonio Sivera. Before that, he also had chances in the final third but couldn’t convert. Pepe was easily the Man of the Match, as, besides his late equaliser, he also created two chances, three passes into the final third, seven touches in the opposition box, and three defensive contributions. He also won three of his four aerial duels.

Pepe now has four goals and four assists this season, making him an invaluable member of Villarreal’s attacking corps. He’ll likely join Georges Mikautadze up front in Marcelino Garcia Toral’s 4-4-2 setup, with Tajon Buchanan and Alfonso Pedraza providing width. Alberto Moleiro – the team’s top scorer with nine goals – is expected to come off the bench.

Villarreal boast the fourth-best offence in La Liga with 51 goals, despite not having Ayoze Perez for a huge chunk of the season. There’s still no word when the 32-year-old attacking midfielder will come back on the pitch.

 

Guedes adds to Real Sociedad’s firepower

Real Sociedad won 3-1 against Osasuna last time out, as Mikel Oyarzabal and Goncalo Guedes were on the scoresheet, but it was the latter who was deservedly named Man of the Match. Guedes made the most of his 63 minutes, as, besides his brace, he went 17-for-17 for accurate passes, made two defensive contributions, and won two of his three ground duels.

Guedes has been an important offensive weapon for La Real this season. Besides being their second-leading scorer with eight goals, he is also their top playmaker with four assists. Head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo will likely keep him on the right wing, with Brais Mendez, Carlos Soler, Benat Turrientes, and Ander Barrenetxea providing more ammunition in the final third and midfield.

 

History

Villarreal won 3-2 against Real Sociedad in the reverse fixture at the Anoeta Stadium last November. Ayoze Perez and Alberto Moleiro (brace) were on the scoresheet for the Yellow Submarine, while Carlos Soler and Ander Barrenetxea scored for La Real. 

Villarreal have won all 11 La Liga home games this season against teams outside the Top 5, securing five clean sheets and six 2+ goal margins. They are keen to complete their first league double over Real Sociedad since the 2016-17 campaign.

Real Sociedad have won only one of their last four La Liga away games under head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo (D1, L2) and are yet to win a league game on the road this term against any side currently above them in the standings (D1, L4).

 

Betting Tip

The La Liga 2026 odds favor Villarreal to win at home against Real Sociedad on Friday night. The Yellow Submarine are at 1.93 odds to win, while La Real are 3.54 underdogs, and a draw is at 3.33 in the 1X2 market. However, this fixture could be closer than you think, despite their gap in the table.

Based on their previous encounters, Villarreal and Real Sociedad are likely to score several goals between them, which is why we recommend this bet regardless of the outcome. SBOTOP bettors can also add Over 2.50 at 1.78, Over 2.75 at 2.06, and even Total Goal 4-6 at 3.10 to the parlay. Meanwhile, the Correct Score of 3-2 in favour of the Yellow Submarine – the result of their reverse fixture – is on offer at a staggering 24.00 your bet.

   

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