Real Sociedad vs PSV Eindhoven Predictions & Match Preview

Real Sociedad vs PSV Eindhoven predictions and match preview for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League fixture. Read on for the head-to-head, team news and predicted lineups as La Real target a place in the knockout stage.

Real Sociedad vs PSV Eindhoven Preview

Real Sociedad are back in Europa League action on Thursday and it’s a make or break night for the Basque side against PSV. With Monaco having already won this group and Sturm Graz guaranteed to finish last, the equation is simple for both teams. La Real will take 2nd with a win while PSV only need a draw to secure the runners-up spot and a place in the knockout stage.

Imanol’s team will take inspiration from sealing qualification in dramatic fashion late on at Napoli in last season’s competition on the final matchday. However they’ll be frustrated to be going into this game with so much still to do. The way they’ve started LaLiga suggests they should have been able to put more than 6 points on the board in this group with their failure to defeat Sturm Graz at home despite having 30 attempts on goal still hard to explain.

Worryingly, Real Sociedad don’t take any real momentum into this game. They’ve gone 3 league games without scoring, losing the last 2 against Espanyol and Real Madrid. They were also beaten in Monaco on matchday 5 in this group and confidence has clearly taken a bit of a knock after a really bright start to the campaign.

It’ll be interesting to see how PSV decide to approach this. Up against a team that has failed to score more than once at home all season, the Dutch side may feel as though all they need to do is score here to stand a really excellent chance of progress. However they will also know that they only need a draw and caution may prevail.

Either way, it’s sure to be a tense 90 minutes and it’s hard to see either side running away with it. PSV take better form into the game and are unbeaten in 7 games in all competitions, since a damaging 5-0 defeat at Ajax in the Eredivisie.

Head to Head

• The sides drew 2-2 earlier in the group.
• The clubs hadn’t previously met.

Team News

Aside from long-term absentees, David Silva is Real Sociedad’s only expected miss due to injury here.

PSV have Cody Gakpo and Noni Madueke fit again but are missing Philipp Max, Jordan Teze and Eran Zahavi to injury here.

Possible Lineups

Real Sociedad vs PSV Eindhoven Predictions

Score Prediction: Real Sociedad 1-1 PSV Eindhoven

Real Sociedad aren’t at their best at the moment and while they should be able to field a stronger XI than they did against Real Madrid at the weekend, it’s hard to see them simply brushing PSV aside. Their inability to convert chances continues to haunt them and PSV have enough about them to get on the scoresheet here and get a result which would send La Real into the UEFA Conference League.

UEFA Europa League Match Previews

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