Looking at the past seasons, the 2024/25 La Liga campaign is Sociedad’s worst in recent memory.
More than a month has passed since the start of the campaign, and La Real only managed to secure two victories in eight games, finding themselves in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable position.
Sociedad won in the second matchday against Espanyol away from home (1-0), but it took the team an entire month to secure their second victory against Valencia (3-0).
In the early stages, La Real has stumbled against lower-tier teams, losing at home to Rayo Vallecano (2-1) and falling to Deportivo Alavés (2-1), Real Madrid (2-0), and Mallorca (1-0). The team also picked up two draws but failed to establish momentum.
European games aren’t much better either. Imanol Alguacil’s team drew with Nice in the first round (1-1) and suffered a 2-1 defeat against Anderlecht this week despite Pablo Marin’s opener in the fifth minute.
The departures of key players like Mikel Merino and Robin Le Normand during the summer transfer window have left a gaping hole in the squad, with no one able to step up and fill their shoes.
As a result, Real Sociedad find themselves in the bottom half of the league table, in 14th place with only eight points and a -1 goal difference.
Pressure is mounting on manager Imanol Alguacil, with fans growing increasingly frustrated. As the club continues to underperform, the calls for his dismissal are growing louder, and his future looks uncertain if the team cannot turn things around quickly.
Until Wednesday, Atletico Madrid remained undefeated across all competitions. They drew to Real Madrid in an intense derby filled with controversy as the match was temporarily suspended, and ultras group Frente Sur received a three-match ban due to fan misconduct. However, on the pitch, everything seemed fine.
Atletico Madrid was paired with Benfica in the Champions League. Diego Simeone shocked the world as he inexplicably subbed Antoine Griezmann at half-time, leaving his team disoriented for the remainder of the clash. Benfica grabbed the opportunity and outplayed Atlético (4-0).
The game against Real Sociedad would have been the opportunity for Robin Le Normand to come back home to his former club, but the French defender has been diagnosed with “traumatic brain injury” after the Madrid Derby, which will leave him in the stands for quite a while.
Despite this setback, Los Rojiblancos enter the game as favorites and will see this fixture as a chance to bounce back after their Lisbon disaster.
If Real Madrid stumbles in their match against Villarreal, Atlético could take advantage and leap to the top of the standings, but only if Simeone can structure his team effectively to avoid further missteps.
Bet hereReal Sociedad will host Atletico Madrid in the hope of finding a victory after the 3-0 win against Valencia. La Real will have to count on a fierce opponent who hasn’t won any of the last two matches.
Furthermore, La Real is still looking for a functional system in the post-Merino era, while the defensive base remains unfounded after the departure of Robin Le Normand.
This is the perfect ground for Julián Alvarez and Conor Gallagher to exploit Real Sociedad’s individual mistakes. In the match against Mallorca, La Real lost by an unprovoked penalty. If Atletico Madrid decides to press the hosts, Diego Simeone’s team will likely enjoy a similar situation.
Until now, Atletico Madrid functioned well when Antoine Griezmann was on the pitch despite a slow start to the season. This is the opportunity for the Frenchman to demonstrate that he remains the leader of the team and that he’s able to set his ego aside.
One of Real Sociedad’s underperformers remains Takefusa Kubo. If Imanol Alguacil wants to keep his job, he will have to reactivate the Japanese playmaker. The team’s performances have not been particularly inspiring, and a big part of it can be attributed to Kubo’s poor form.
Considering that Atletico Madrid will likely lead the tempo in this game, Conor Gallagher will be an essential figure.
Gallagher was on the bench in the first half against Benfica, and the lack of aggression that comes with his absence was more than noticeable.
It’s important for Atletico Madrid to have a leader in the midfield like Gallagher, who won’t hesitate to go for the tackle when needed. Additionally, his involvement in the penalty box is a plus in the counter-attacks.
All of this brings me to the conclusion that Gallagher will likely start this match and find the back of the net.
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