Real Sociedad vs Atletico Madrid Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Spanish Primera
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We have two of La Liga’s top six and European qualifiers facing off against each other up in the Basque Country this weekend as Atletico Madrid travel north to face Real Sociedad at the Anoeta.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 25th May, 2024 - UK – 15:15 / US EST – 10:15 / US PST – 08:15
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: This match will be televised live on Viaplay Sports in the UK. / This match will not be televised live in the US.
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: This match will be streamed live the Viaplay Sports app in the UK. / This match will be streamed live via ESPN+ in the US.
REAL SOCIEDAD PREVIEW: NOT TOO BAD FOR LA REAL
As one of the most intense pressing teams in European football, Real Sociedad have often found themselves flagging in the second-half of a season and that has been the case this time around. The Basque giants suffered frustrating exits from both the UEFA Champions League and the Copa del Rey in the spring but have managed to steady themselves.
Imanol Aguacil’s side have ended the campaign quite strongly to ensure they have held off Real Betis and will once again finish in the top six in La Liga. They come into this one on the back of a 2-0 defeat of the aforementioned Betis at the Benito Villamarin last weekend with first-half goals scored by Brais Mendez and Mikel Merino.
ATLETICO MADRID PREVIEW: OUTSIDE THE TOP THREE
Quite remarkably, for the first time ever in the era of Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid will finish outside of the top three in La Liga. They have attempted to evolve their style of football away from the stereotyped ‘Cholismo’ but their generally more entertaining play has come at the cost of having a genuinely soft underbelly that has been regularly exposed this season.
Los Rojiblancos appeared to have been finishing the season in excellent form, too, until their most recent outing when they were demolished by Osasuna at the Metropolitano last weekend. Raul Garcia opened the scoring for Osasuna before Lucas Torro made it two. Alvaro Morata pulled one back but Raul Garcia notched another before Aimar Oroz sealed a famous 4-1 win.
REAL SOCIEDAD TEAM NEWS: ZUBELDIA OUT, ZUBIMENDI A DOUBT
Real Sociedad and Imanol Aguacil are dealing with a few injury issues for this weekend’s clash of Atletico Madrid as Martin Zubimendi remains a doubt for La Real. Igor Zubeldia and Carlos Fernandez are both definite absentees.
PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Alex Remiro; Traore, Elustondo, Pacheco, Tierney; Mendez, Turrientes, Merino, Galan; Becker, Oyarzabal
UNAVAILABLE: Zubeldia (Injured), Fernandez (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Zubimendi (Injured)
ATLETICO MADRID TEAM NEWS: GABRIEL SUSPENDED
Former Arsenal and Valencia centre-back Gabriel Paulista will be missing through suspension this weekend and Diego Simeone is also missing a couple of other players, Nahuel Molina and Pablo Barrios, due to injury.
PREDICTED XI (5-3-1-1): Oblak; Azpilicueta, Savic, Hermoso, Reinildo, Lino; Llorente, De Paul, Koke; Griezmann, Morata
UNAVAILABLE: Gabriel (Suspended), Barrios (Injured), Molina (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
REAL SOCIEDAD VS ATLETICO MADRID PREDICTION
Real Sociedad’s 2-0 win over Real Betis followed on from a 1-0 defeat of Valencia up in the Basque Country, showing some ‘clutch’ performances and results, if you’ll forgive the nauseating Americanised expression. Several Atletico stars will want to finish the season strongly ahead of UEFA EURO 2024 but they may well have indeed checked out if last week is anything to go by so backing a home win looks a good bet here.
REAL SOCIEDAD VS ATLETICO MADRID TIP: REAL SOCIEDAD TO WIN
