Real Sociedad vs Villarreal match preview and predictions for Sunday’s LaLiga match. Read on for the head-to-head, team news and predicted lineups as two high-flying teams meet.
- DATE: Sunday 29th November 2020
- KICK-OFF: 21:00 (local time)
- VENUE: Anoeta
- COMPETITION: LaLiga
Real Sociedad vs Villarreal Preview
What could be the game of the weekend in LaLiga is very much worthy of the Sunday night slot. Heading into the weekend, these teams occupy 1st and 3rd positions and they are the clubs most capable of breaking up last season’s top four. Whether either will have the legs to sustain a title challenge is more doubtful and both Imanol and Unai Emery will be keen to downplay those aspirations at this point.
On current form, both in terms of results and performances, Real Sociedad do look like a very good side that could potentially sustain a challenge if the ‘big three’ continue to drop points across the duration of the season. La Real have reeled off 6 straight wins in LaLiga heading into this and they’ve been very impressive at both ends of the pitch.
Heading into the weekend action, La Real boasted LaLiga’s best goalscoring record and second best defensive record. They head into this match following a 1-0 win at Cadiz in a game which they largely dominated followed by a goalless draw in the Netherlands against AZ in the Europa League. They fielded another strong XI in that game and have plenty of work to do still to reach the knockout stage which isn’t ideal at this point in the season.
Villarreal by comparison are in a much weaker Europa League group. While they haven’t formally secured qualification, they have 10 points on the board following a 1-1 draw away to Maccabi Tel-Aviv on Thursday and that should be enough to see them through.
Unai Emery took the decision to rest a host of key players in that game and that may be significant here given Villarreal should be the fresher team. It’s just 1 defeat in 14 matches this season for the visitors in all competitions but this will certainly be one of their toughest tests to date.
Check out our match previews for every game in LaLiga this weekend here!
Head to Head
- Last 6 Competitive Meetings: 3 Real Sociedad Wins, 3 Villarreal Wins.
- Villarreal have won on 3 of their last 4 visits to Anoeta.
- Both meetings last term produced 2-1 away wins.
- Indeed all of the last 4 meetings between the clubs have been won by the team playing away.
Team News
Robin Le Normand is back from suspension for Real Sociedad but David Silva remains a doubt and may miss out.
Paco Alcacer is expected to return following a hamstring injury. Moi Gomez is also fit and may start on the left flank.
Predicted Real Sociedad Starting Lineup:
Remiro – Munoz, Le Normand, Elustondo, Zaldua – Merino, Guevara – Januzaj, Oyarzabal, Portu – Jose (4-2-3-1)
Predicted Villarreal Starting Lineup:
Asenjo – Estupinan, Torres, Albiol, Gaspar – Trigueros, Iborra, Parejo – Gomez, Alcacer, Moreno (4-3-3)
Real Sociedad vs Villarreal Predictions
Score Prediction: Real Sociedad 1-2 Villareal
Real Sociedad have been terrific this season but at some point, all the football is surely going to catch up with them. It feels like this could be the match where that happens. Villarreal will have the fresher legs given their differing selection policies in the Europa League on Thursday and they do have a great record on this ground in recent years. They are also playing very well with Gerard Moreno and Paco Alcacer possessing the qualities to potentially fire the Yellow Submarine to an important away win.
LaLiga Betting Tips (18+)
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