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Sparks will fly as Real Sociedad and Espanyol go toe-to-toe with each other in the third round of La Liga at Reale Arena on Saturday.
The hosts are going through a rough patch and will hope to avoid a sixth consecutive defeat.
Espanyol, meanwhile, are eyeing their first away win of the season.
Read our Real Sociedad vs Espanyol prediction, preview and betting tips below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Real Sociedad vs Espanyol key stats
- Espanyol's last five matches have all gone above the 2.5-goal line.
- Seven of Real Sociedad's last eight games produced goals at both ends.
- Real Sociedad have conceded first in seven consecutive fixtures.
Real Sociedad vs Espanyol preview: Can the hosts improve their fortunes?
Real Sociedad vs Espanyol — Tale of the Tape
| Real Sociedad | vs | Espanyol |
|---|---|---|
| 20th | Position | 6th |
| 0 | Points | 3 |
| 1 | Goals For | 4 |
| 5 | Goals Against | 2 |
| 0 | Clean Sheets | 1 |
| N/A | Home / Away Rank | N/A |
*These figures were accurate at the time of publishing.
Real Sociedad's struggles continued with a 4-1 defeat at Real Madrid on Wednesday night.
The Basque side have now lost five matches in a row across all competitions, conceding over three goals on average during that stretch.
As the hosts set their sights on earning their first win of the season, head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo has a few injury concerns, as former Real Madrid right-back Alvaro Odriozola continues to recover from a knee ligament injury. Midfielder Pablo Marin is dealing with a hamstring issue and will also be unavailable for this game.
Additionally, Jon Gorrotxategi is ruled out following a muscular injury sustained in training, while defenders Igor Zubeldia and Jon Pacheco are being monitored for physical discomfort alongside forward Goncalo Guedes.
On the other hand, Espanyol followed their comfortable 3-0 victory over Espanyol in their La Liga opener with a 2-1 home defeat against Real Madrid last weekend.
The Catalan side tried to hold their own against the 36-time La Liga champions but were undone by a late Carlos Espi strike.
After playing their first two games at home, Espanyol will go on the road for the first time this season.
Long-term absentee forward Javi Puado remains unavailable following a serious knee injury, while veteran striker Kike Garcia is also sidelined with a hamstring issue. With Puado and Garcia completely ruled out, the visitors will rely heavily on options like Pere Milla, Roberto Fernandez, and Javier Hernandez up front.
Despite Real Sociedad's recent shortcomings, the hosts boast the superior H2H advantage in this fixture, as they are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Espanyol (W5, D2).
In fact, Espanyol suffered six defeats in their last seven trips to this stadium and have not won here since September 2015.
Real Sociedad vs Espanyol form guide & betting tips
| Real Sociedad | vs | Espanyol |
|---|---|---|
L
L
|
La Liga Form |
W
L
|
| 0 | Points | 3 |
| 20th | Form Table | 6th |
| 1 | Goals For | 4 |
| 5 | Goals Against | 2 |
L
L
L
L
L
|
Form (All Comps) |
D
D
L
W
L
|
Whispers Predicts: Real Sociedad 2-1 Espanyol
At 19/20 (1.95), Real Sociedad are considered favourites by the bookmakers. Although the hosts are currently on a five-match losing streak, they have had an excellent track record against Espanyol at this stadium.
On that note, we believe that the Basque outfit will claim all the spoils here.
At least three goals were scored in six of Real Sociedad's last seven outings, each of Espanyol's last five fixtures, and in four of the last six H2Hs, and this can be backed at 5/6 (1.83).
We also fancy Real Sociedad & BTTS – Yes at 27/10 (3.70). This combination landed in four of the last six league encounters between these teams at this stadium.
> Over 2.5 total goals at 5/6 (1.83) | Likelihood: Probable
> BTTS – Yes at 8/11 (1.73) | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result: Real Sociedad at 19/20 (1.95) | Likelihood: Probable
> Real Sociedad & BTTS – Yes at 27/10 (3.70) | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct Score: 2-1 at 8/1 (9.00) | Likelihood: Outsider