Real Sociedad will be expected to bounce back from a derby defeat in the last round when they host a Rayo Vallecano side buoyed by their first clean sheet of this league season.
Match News and Current Form
Sociedad’s four-game winning streak in this competition ended with last round’s unsuccessful trip to Basque rivals Athletic Club (L 2-1), and it’s only because of some poor form from the clubs directly beneath them that they were able to hold on to fifth place ahead of the round. La Real have since squandered the lead to draw 1-1 at home to Lyon in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, but have enjoyed better fortunes here in the league, winning three of their five such games (D1, L1). A return to form looks likely for a side who’ve lost back-to-back league matches just once under Pellegrino Matarazzo, while the hosts also have an almost perfect record in this competition against clubs to have fewer than 15 points heading into this round (W6, D1).
Rayo Vallecano’s position has been propped up by their excellent performances across their various home venues, the most recent of which was a flawless 3-0 demolition of Celta Vigo. They’re yet to record a La Liga win this season against any team in the top-nine heading into the weekend and are likely to be significantly tested by this assignment, particularly as the Red Sashes are yet to win an away league game this term despite scoring in all five (D2, L3). Unless they can break that drought, manager Beñat San José will join Iñigo Pérez as the second Rayo boss to not win any of their first six league away games in charge.
Head-to-Head History
Sociedad are on their longest La Liga winless run against Rayo in club history (D4, L2), failing to win each of their last three home H2Hs (D1, L2).
Hot Stats and Streaks
Only Barcelona and Real Madrid start the round with a better first-half record than Sociedad in La Liga this season (HT: W5, D5, L1).
Eight of Sociedad’s last nine competitive matches saw both teams score.
Vallecano are yet to win a league game as a betting outsider this term (D1, L3).
Nine of Rayo's last 11 games in all competitions this season saw both teams score.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Sociedad’s Luka Sucic will be pursuing his first home goal of the season after six away strikes across all competitions this season, four of them coming before half-time and four of them in victories. Fellow veteran Jorge de Frutos ended his longest scoring drought since May 2024 last round, but a repeat goal may be unlikely with a strike rate of just two goals in nearly 440 minutes played against Sociedad.
Sociedad will assess Luken Beitia for a potential return, whilst Mikel Oyarzabal is doubtful after missing Saturday training with illness. Vallecano will be without Óscar Valentín and others.
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Betting Analysis
These teams are scoring and conceding frequently enough to make both teams to score a likely outcome.
Author: Aaron Murphy