Three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad | OneFootball

The second and third-placed teams in La Liga clash off against each other on Sunday as Real Madrid take on Real Sociedad in a game that could have massive implications on the title race. After all, both teams have not only a reason to fight for three points but also an equal chance of winning.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men can no longer afford to sleep on the situation in La Liga. Barcelona now have a six-point lead over them after their win over Girona on Saturday, and dropping points is no longer an option.

The game will be held at Santiago Bernabeu and the home advantage could play a big part in the result. However, one must remember that the Basque side tormented league leaders Barcelona at Spotify Camp Nou less than a week ago despite being a man down.

Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad.

1. First-half blues

Ancelotti singled out one flaw of his Real Madrid side after their comeback win over Atletico Madrid. As he rightly pointed out, his side consistently struggled in the first half in recent games but managed out-of-the-world second-half displays to pull them through.

The trend began in Los Blancos’ win over Villarreal in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. The men in white played out a disastrous first half and were two goals down before turning up in the second period and sparking a comeback.

A similar story unfolded in the last game against Atletico Madrid. With 20 minutes to go, Ancelotti’s side were a goal down and on their way out of the cup. It was again at that late moment that they sparked a good spell of play to turn around the tie and get the better of their neighbours.

While the situation does speak volumes about the confidence of Real Madrid, one must remember that there is a fine line between confidence and overconfidence.

At the moment, the team are edging ever so close to crossing that line. The trend of struggling in the first half repeatedly is not healthy for a team of their stature, and Ancelotti must ensure that the change is brought as early as Sunday’s game.

2. Rewarding the heroes

When Los Blancos desperately needed a spark against Atletico Madrid to start a comeback, two individuals who came off the bench took charge.

Dani Ceballos and Rodrygo were arguably the Merengues’ most decisive players in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals and were directly involved in lifting their side out of the trough.

Dani Ceballos has been hugely impressive of late (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

The midfielder came on towards the end of the first half and took over the reins of Real Madrid’s midfield. In just 76 minutes, he recorded 121 touches, close to 100 passes and made four key passes. Further, he had one assist and close to 13 defensive actions to his name.

Rodrygo, on the other hand, was the one who conjured a goal out of nothing to nullify Atletico’s lead. In his 45 minutes, he managed two shots, two dribbles and two key passes in addition to one goal.

Ancelotti has always been a man of no favourites and practical approaches. The Italian tactician could thus find it appealing to give continuity to those in form and reward them with a start when Real Madrid take on Real Sociedad.

3. An opposition with highs and struggles

Real Sociedad are one of Spain’s most in-form teams right now and their results show their quality and consistency.

The Basque side are placed third on the La Liga standings and are just three points behind Ancelotti’s side, albeit the Merengues have a game in hand.

With 38 points in 18 games so far they sit seven points clear of fourth-placed Atletico Madrid and are well-placed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. So far, they have won 12 league games and lost just four.

The Merengues have won their last two games against Sociedad. Yet, they have won just one of their last three games against the Basque side at Santiago Bernabeu.

Clearly, the game on Sunday night will be an epic tussle between two fighting sides. A win for Real Madrid would maintain the three-point gap with Barcelona while a win for Imanol Alguacil’s side would see them level up on points with Ancelotti’s men.

The visitors may have their set of positives to gloat on, however, that does not mask the fact that they are in deep trouble for Sunday’s match.

Sociedad travel to the Bernabeu with no full-backs available and just two centre-backs fit. A long casualty list means that Alguacil will not have several key players for the clash against the defending champions, a factor that gives Real Madrid the edge.