Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid Prediction: 14/9/2024

Real Sociedad has struggled to gain momentum in their La Liga campaign, managing only one win in four matches, a 1-0 away victory against Espanyol.

They have already suffered two home losses, both 1-2 defeats against Rayo Vallecano on the opening day and Deportivo Alaves. Before the international break, they had to settle for a goalless draw away at Getafe, leaving them in 12th place, far below their expectations.

Real Madrid, starting the day in 2nd place in La Liga, has also shown signs of inconsistency, with two draws in their away matches so far. They shared points with Mallorca (1-1) on the first matchday and with Las Palmas (1-1) in a similar fashion. However, Real Madrid’s newest star, Kylian Mbappé, made a crucial impact in their recent 2-0 win over Real Betis, scoring one of the goals with a penalty after Vinicius graciously allowed him to take it.

Real Sociedad saw notable departures this summer, including key players Robin Le Normand (to Atlético Madrid) and Mikel Merino (to Arsenal), both of whom were part of Spain’s European Championship-winning team. Additionally, Diego Rico and Alex Sola moved to Getafe.

However, the club strengthened with new arrivals such as Sergio Gomez (Man City), Luka Sucic (Salzburg), Nayef Aguerd (West Ham, on loan), and Icelandic striker Orri Oskarsson (from Copenhagen for €20 million). After serving a suspension, captain Mikel Oyarzabal is expected to return, but several key players, including Elustondo, Odriozola, Zakharyan, Hamari Traoré (recovering from cruciate ligament surgery), and midfielder Brais Mendez, are all sidelined with injuries.

There are also doubts over Jon Pacheco and Ander Barrenetxea, who have struggled with physical issues.

Real Madrid has injury concerns of their own, though Aurélien Tchouaméni and Ferland Mendy, initially reported as injured, might still feature. However, David Alaba and Dani Ceballos remain unavailable, along with key players Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga. Supporters will be hoping Kylian Mbappé, who has already scored 3 goals in 5 appearances, can continue to impress.

This summer saw significant changes for Real Madrid, with important players like Joselu (who scored a key double in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich) and Nacho leaving, while Toni Kroos retired as a club legend.

Others, like Latasa, transferred to Valladolid, and Nico Paz signed with Calcio Como after being part of the rotation last season. During the international break, defender Éder Militão suffered an injury and will miss this match, leaving only Rüdiger and Vallejo as options in central defense alongside the absences of Alaba and Joan Martinez (due to cruciate ligament injuries).

 

Prediction

Real Sociedad’s recent home games in La Liga have been low-scoring, with under 2.5 goals in 10 of their last 14 matches. Similarly, Real Madrid has kept things tight, with 12 of their last 14 games also featuring fewer than 2.5 goals. As a result, this match is expected to be closely contested with minimal goal action.

Prediction: Real Sociedad 0 : 1 Real Madrid