La Liga Week 28 Preview: Real Sociedad vs Deportivo Alaves
In one of the minor Basque derbies, Real Sociedad host Deportivo Alaves at the Anoeta on March 14 for the 34th time in La Liga play.
Both sides are looking to settle their score this season, with their first meeting at the Mendizorroza last January 3 ended in a 1-1 draw in Jose Luis Mendilibar’s first match in charge for the home side. Joselu saved their blushes as his second-half penalty canceled out Adnan Januzaj’s 14th minute opener as both clubs split the points.
Overview
The clubs are on the opposite sides of the league table, with La Real in sixth and in the hunt for European football, while Alaves are staring at the prospect of relegation to Segunda as they were near the bottom of the pile at 19th.
Not even a win for the visitors could not get them past the drop, with Granada still safe owing to their superior goal difference and the 2-1 win in their first meeting last December. But the hosts could zoom past Real Betis in fifth (and Europa League football) with a win in San Sebastian.
The La Liga is the sole focus for the clubs this season, with Sociedad have recently been eliminated by Bundesliga’s RB Leipzig in the Europa League playoff round.
Alaves had a better Round 27 over Sociedad, as the former garnered a goalless draw at home to Sevilla, and the latter suffered a 1-4 defeat over league leaders Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
Head-to-head
In their first 33 matches in the Primera, Real Sociedad leads witn 16 wins, with Deportivo Alaves having 9 wins and eight of those games ended up even.
Despite having played their first fixture in 1930, they have not met in consecutive years several times, with Alaves being known to be a yo-yo club in Spanish football.
Form watch (last five, all competitions)
Real Sociedad: LLWWL
3/6: L 1-4 @ Real Madrid (La Liga, round 27)
3/3: W 2-0 @ Mallorca (La Liga, round 21)
2/28: W 1-0 v Osasuna (La Liga, round 26)
2/25: L 1-3 v RB Leipzig (Europa League playoff, 2nd leg)
2/21: L 0-4 v Athletic Bilbao (La Liga, round 25)
Deportivo Alaves: LWLDD
3/5: D 0-0 v Sevilla (La Liga, round 27)
2/26: D 2-2 @ Getafe (La Liga, round 26)
2/20: L 0-3 @ Real Madrid (La Liga, round 25)
2/13: W 2-1 v Valencia (La Liga, round 24)
2/5: L 1-3 @ Elche (La Liga, round 23)
Prediction
Real Sociedad are the overwhelming favorites to win the match, as they have 64% chance to win. Also, the odds will be in favor of OVER 1.5 to UNDER 2.5.
Tips
- Real Sociedad to win
- Real Sociedad to score first
- Real Sociedad to win 3-0
