Real Sociedad vs Villarreal Prediction

La Liga is throwing up some exciting fixtures this weekend and Real Sociedad vs Villarreal is no exception. Both teams are looking to finish in a Champions League spot this season, but with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid inevitably taking up three of the Spanish League’s four spaces, that leaves just one for the two of them, and many others, to fight over.

Key Stats

• Real Sociedad have seven wins and seven losses in 18 games this season
• They have the second best defensive record in the league with 13 goals conceded
• Villarreal are five points ahead of Real Sociedad, on 30
• They have only lost four times in the league all season

Real Sociedad vs Villarreal Previews, Form and Players to Watch

Real Sociedad’s last two league matches have been disappointing, with a 2-0 loss against Celta Vigo and a 0-0 draw at home to Las Palmas. They really struggled to create clear cut chances against Celta Vigo despite having the majority of possession. Last time out was a Copa del Rey fixture which saw them progress to the Round of 16 as they beat Ponferradina 2-0.

Villarreal have had longer to prepare for this match as they weren’t in Copa del Rey action last weekend. Their most recent game was a 5-2 win over Leganes, a game which saw Leganes have two men sent off in a crazy second half.

Real Sociedad Preview

Real Sociedad Predicted Lineup - Alex Remiro; Aihen Munoz, Jon Pacheco, Igor Zubeldia, Jon Aramburu; Benat Turrientes; Ander Barrenetxea, Luka Sucic, Brias Mendez, Sergio Gomez, Mikel Oyarzabal

Real Sociedad have a strong squad but they are missing a vital player in Martin Zubimendi. The 25-year-old was close to a move to Liverpool in the summer, but changed his mind at the last minute to stay at his childhood club. He rarely contributes offensively, but his defensive output is superb. The only game he has missed all season came against Celta Vigo.

Real Sociedad are one of the lowest scoring sides in La Liga which is surprising given their current position in the league. Their top scorer this season is Mikel Oyarzabal, who scored the winner for Spain in the Euro 2024 final against England. He also scored and assisted in their recent Copa del Rey victory.

Villarreal Preview

Villarreal Predicted Lineup - Luiz Junior; Sergi Cardona, Logan Costa, Raul Albiol, Kiko Femenia; Denis Suarez, Pape Gueye, Santi Comesana, Yeremy Pino; Thierno Barry, Alex Baena

Villarreal have a really strong squad filled with well known players. Their bench is especially packed, with Gerard Moreno, Dani Parejo and Juan Bernat. Their top scorer in the league this season is Ayoze Perez who will be familiar to Newcastle and Leicester fans after a couple of poor spells in the Premier League. He has been in and out of the team through injury this season, but has still managed eight league goals with three in various cup competitions.

Head to Head Stats - Real Sociedad vs Villarreal

Fixtures between these two clubs have been very even in recent years, with neither club able to string a run of victories together over the other. The last time one of these teams managed a league double over the other was back in 2013/14 when Villarreal won both games with an aggregate score of 7-2.

23rd Feb 2024 - Real Sociedad 1-3 Villarreal - La Liga

9th Dec 2023 - Villarreal 0-3 Real Sociedad - La Liga

2nd Apr 2023 - Villarreal 2-0 Real Sociedad - La Liga

9th Oct 2022 - Real Sociedad 1-0 Villarreal - La Liga

15th May 2022 - Villarreal 1-2 Real Sociedad - La Liga

Betting Tips for Real Sociedad vs Villarreal

This game will be a close affair, as both are in relatively good shape and have devastating quality. I think that the game will be decided by the defensive ability of both sides, and looking at the stats, it is in Real Sociedad’s favour. With home advantage too, they will be very hard to beat.

With all of this in mind, our team of professional experts have decided that the best tip for this game is for Real Sociedad to Win. Odds of 19/20 on Betfred means that a £10 bet could see a potential return of £19.50.

(odds subject to change)

Final Prediction

Real Sociedad 1-0 Villarreal

Check out our other tips and predictions.