Real Sociedad vs. Sevilla | La Liga | Pre Match
Real Sociedad vs. Sevilla
After facing Manchester United in Thursday's Europa League clash, Real Sociedad will now turn their attention back to La Liga action for Sunday's home meeting with Sevilla, a fixture that pits two mid-table sides against each other in a contest that could shape their European ambitions for next season. The hosts head into the weekend in ninth place in the standings, a position that reflects a season of inconsistency for a club accustomed to punching above its weight in recent years, while Sevilla trail just one point behind in 12th, their own campaign marked by resilience but a frustrating inability to convert draws into wins. Real Sociedad’s Europa League encounter with Manchester United left them with mixed emotions: a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie at the Reale Arena showcased their fighting spirit, with Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty canceling out Joshua Zirkzee’s 57th-minute opener for United after Bruno Fernandes was penalized for handball, yet missed opportunities from Brais Mendez and Orri Oskarsson meant they couldn’t capitalize fully on home advantage. The result keeps the tie delicately poised ahead of next week’s return leg at Old Trafford, but for now, Imanol Alguacil’s focus shifts to domestic matters, where his side is desperate to arrest a worrying slide and bolster their bid for a sixth consecutive top-six finish in La Liga. Sitting four points adrift of sixth-placed Real Betis, Real Sociedad know that additional European spots could open up depending on Spain’s coefficient performance, yet their immediate priority is to climb the table and secure the best possible position—a task made urgent by a dismal run of five losses in their last seven league games, including a humbling 4-0 defeat to Barcelona last Sunday, where they played most of the match with 10 men after Aritz Elustondo’s early red card. Despite this, their home form offers a lifeline, with three wins in their last four league matches at the Reale Arena, a record they’ll lean on against a Sevilla side that has proven a tough nut to crack on the road.
Real Sociedad’s recent struggles have tested Alguacil’s resolve, as the Basque outfit seeks to rediscover the consistency that has made them a fixture in La Liga’s upper echelons over the past half-decade. The Barcelona thrashing was a low point, with Elustondo’s 17th-minute dismissal exposing defensive frailties that were ruthlessly exploited, and while the draw against Manchester United showcased resilience, it also highlighted a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal that has plagued their season. With Jon Pacheco, Alvaro Odriozola, and Arsen Zakharyan sidelined by injury, and Martin Zubimendi doubtful after missing the United game due to illness, Alguacil faces selection headaches compounded by Elustondo’s suspension. Jon Aramburu is set to step into the backline, but the manager may shuffle further, with Javi Lopez, Jon Ander Olasagasti, Pablo Marin, Sergio Gomez, Sheraldo Becker, and Oskarsson all vying for starting berths as he aims to inject fresh legs into a weary squad. Nayef Aguerd and Oyarzabal, despite limping off against United, should be fit, offering continuity in defense and attack. Historically, Real Sociedad hold the upper hand against Sevilla, having won four of their last five meetings, including 2-1 victories in their past two home clashes at the Reale Arena—a streak that stretches their unbeaten run in away head-to-heads to three, with Sevilla’s last triumph in San Sebastian coming in April 2021 via goals from Fernando and Youssef En-Nesyri. That record, paired with their recent home strength, fuels cautious optimism, though Alguacil will demand a sharper edge to turn dominance into points against a Sevilla side that, while inconsistent, has shown it can grind out results on its travels.
Sevilla, under Garcia Pimienta’s stewardship, arrive in the Basque Country with their own European aspirations flickering, their 12th-place standing belying a campaign that has teetered between promise and frustration as they chase a spot in the continental conversation. Just five points separate them from sixth-placed Real Betis, a gap that keeps their hopes alive, yet their inability to turn draws into victories has been a persistent thorn in their side. An eight-game stretch with only one loss—a 4-2 defeat to Real Madrid in December—speaks to their durability, but five draws in that run, including their last two against Mallorca and Rayo Vallecano, have stalled their ascent. Against Mallorca, they conceded a stoppage-time equalizer to settle for a 1-1 draw at home, a result mirrored in their trip to Vallecas, where Dodi Lukebakio’s 81st-minute strike rescued a point after Andrei Ratiu’s opener, extending their unbeaten away run in La Liga to four matches (two wins, two draws). That road resilience—unbroken since the Bernabeu loss—offers a glimmer of hope as they face Real Sociedad, though their record at the Reale Arena tempers expectations, with those consecutive 2-1 defeats underscoring a historical struggle in this fixture. Pimienta, blessed with a full week to prepare unlike his counterparts, may opt for stability, potentially naming an unchanged XI for the third straight game, with Lukebakio—boasting 11 goals in 26 appearances this season—remaining the focal point of an attack still missing Tanguy Nianzou, Nemanja Gudelj, and Akor Adams to injury. Arsenal loanee Albert Sambi Lokonga’s return to training after a four-game absence bolsters the squad, though whether he starts remains uncertain. Sevilla’s challenge lies in converting their defensive solidity and Lukebakio’s flair into a result against a Real Sociedad side that, despite its wobbles, has a knack for rising to the occasion at home.
This encounter encapsulates two teams at a crossroads, each seeking to harness fleeting momentum amid broader inconsistency, with European qualification as the dangling carrot. For Real Sociedad, halting their league slide is paramount, the Europa League draw a morale boost but insufficient without a domestic response, their home form and historical edge over Sevilla offering a platform to build on. Alguacil’s tinkering could unlock the attacking spark they’ve lacked, though injuries and fatigue from midweek exertions loom as obstacles. Sevilla, meanwhile, bring a rested squad and a gritty away record, their knack for salvaging points a testament to Pimienta’s pragmatism, yet their profligacy in front of goal and poor recent record at the Reale Arena suggest an uphill battle. The stakes—three points that could propel either side closer to Europe—lend urgency to a clash likely to hinge on defensive discipline and fleeting moments of quality, with Real Sociedad’s home advantage tipping the scales, albeit narrowly, in a fixture poised to deliver drama if not a deluge of goals.
