Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad Preview – Prediction, how to watch & potential line-ups | OneFootball

Icon: Football Today

Football Today

·28 January 2023

Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad Preview – Prediction, how to watch & potential line-ups

Article image:Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad Preview – Prediction, how to watch & potential line-ups

La Liga’s game of the weekend pits defending champions Real Madrid and top-four bidders Real Sociedad against each other at Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday night.

Both sides were involved in blockbuster Copa del Rey ties in midweek, with Los Merengues dispatching city rivals Atletico Madrid 3-1 after extra-time and ten-man Sociedad going down 1-0 to Barcelona.


OneFootball Videos


Despite trailing 1-0 at half-time, Carlo Ancelotti’s team saw off Los Rojiblancos as Rodrygo, Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior tore Diego Simeone’s defence into pieces.

It was Madrid’s third consecutive domestic triumph after a disturbing 3-1 Supercopa Espana loss to Barcelona, with Los Blancos overhauling a half-time deficit on two occasions.

Ancelotti will hope for a better start this weekend when his men take on hard-to-beat Sociedad at home, trying to close a three-point gap on the leaders Blaugrana.

Dropped to ten men late in the first half, La Real pulled off a valiant attempt to overcome Barcelona in their Copa del Rey encounter on Thursday, but they eventually slipped to a narrow defeat.

Things are looking far more promising for Imanol Alguacil’s side in La Liga, where they’ve won five straight matches in the lead-up to this fixture and could make it six victories in a row for the first time since November 2020.

Sociedad’s imperious league form has moved them within three points of second-placed Madrid, so another potential triumph in the capital may spark outside title hopes.

Match Preview

Real Madrid

As one of just two La Liga clubs alongside Barcelona yet to lose a home game this season (W5, D2), Madrid will be enthusiastic about extending their six-game unbeaten league run against Sociedad (W4, D2).

Stretching back to the 2021/22 season, Los Merengues have suffered only one defeat in their last 36 top-flight outings at the Bernabeu (W25, D10), going down 4-0 to Barca in March 2022.

The continuation of their sublime home form is very much on the cards, considering they’ve lost once in their last 15 La Liga home meetings with Sociedad (W12, D2).

Real Sociedad

For years, home matches have been the chief source of points for Sociedad, but the narrative has changed this term, with Alguacil’s team racking up 21 points on their nine La Liga travels so far (W7, L2).

Since a disappointing 1-0 loss at bottom-half Real Valladolid in October, La Real have gone into overdrive, winning three away league fixtures on the trot by an aggregate score of 6-1.

But a lack of the ‘bounce-back’ ability has seen Sociedad lose both away league matches when conceding first this season, highlighting the importance of scoring the opener.

Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad Potential Line-ups

Real Madrid (4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Nacho Fernandez, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, Eduardo Camavinga; Toni Kroos, Dani Ceballos, Luka Modric; Federico Valverde, Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior.

Real Sociedad (4-3-1-2): Alex Remiro; Aritz Elustondo, Igor Zubeldia, Robin Le Normand, Diego Rico; Brais Mendez, Martin Zubimendi, Martin Merquelanz; Takefusa Kubo; Mikel Oyarzabal, Alexander Sorloth.

How to Watch?

Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad, alongside all other Los Blancos’ fixtures, is available to watch online via live Real Madrid streaming.

Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad Prediction

Fatigue and a growing injury list will likely clip Sociedad’s wings in Madrid, which may be just what the doctor ordered for Los Blancos amid their attempt to get back on their feet following a rough patch.

Ancelotti’s men thumped the Basque heavyweights in their two La Liga encounters last season via multi-goal margins, but we expect a more evenly-contested affair on Sunday.

However, Madrid should walk away with three points.

Real Madrid 2-1 Real Sociedad

View publisher imprint