- Date and Time: Monday, January 13, 2025, 21:00 GMT+1
- Venue: Anoeta Stadium, San Sebastián, Spain.
Real Sociedad
After a difficult start to the season, Real Sociedad are slowly picking up their usual rhythm, currently ranking 8th in La Liga. They’ve lost only one match, falling 2-0 to Celta in December. They beat Real Betis (2-0) and Léganes (3-0). And, in Europe, Sociedad defeated Ajax (2-0), a significant boost for the team’s confidence amid a challenging Europa League campaign.
Imanol Alguacil’s team also advanced to the next stage of the Copa Del Rey, defeating Ponferradina (2-0), thanks to goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Brais Méndez. They’ve been paired with Rayo Vallecano for the RO16, which is scheduled for Thursday.
🧐 What are your match 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 tonight?
#RealSociedadVillarreal pic.twitter.com/8p6lTOIWIE— Real Sociedad 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 (@RealSociedadEN) January 13, 2025
La Liga announced the rescheduling of the Sociedad-Villarreal fixture last week, which sparked backlash on social media. Real published an open letter on January 9th, calling it an ‘abuse of scheduling,’ citing the proximity to their Copa game just three days later.
The club loaned out Umar Sadiq this winter to Valencia, with the Nigerian struggling to impress Imanol Alguacil.
For their first league match in 2025, Sociedad will be without injured Hamari Traoré and the suspended Igor Zubeldia (excess of yellow cards).
Villarreal
Villarreal currently rank 5th in La Liga with 30 points from 18 matches. December proved challenging for the team. They were held to a draw by Girona (2-2), followed by significant defeats against Athletic Club (2-0) and Real Betis (2-1).
In their next game, they drew again, this time against Rayo Vallecano (1-1). However, their year ended on a high note with a 5-2 victory against Léganes. Unlike their competitors, Villarreal crashed out of the Copa del Rey, allowing for more rest and, therefore, potentially better performances.
We’re back in action today, and what a match it is!#RealSociedadVillarreal pic.twitter.com/4YXZgtY3MR
— Villarreal CF English (@VillarrealCFen) January 13, 2025
The visitors have been linked with defender Rafa Marín, though more clubs are interested in his services. According to Relevo, Villarreal has started negotiating with Marín and are the likeliest to sign him. The club is looking for squad depth as they aspire to qualify for the Champions League.
Ilias Akhomach, Alfonso Pedraza and Nicolas Pépé are sidelined, while Diego Conde remains doubtful for the match.
Bet hereReal Sociedad vs Villarreal Prediction
- Prediction: Real Sociedad to win
- Odds: 2.02 (22Bet)
- Score Prediction: Real Sociedad 2-1 Villarreal
While the visitors would be favoured based on their season, Ilias Akhomach’s absence changes the odds. They rely heavily on his dribbling ability to generate threats, but they’ll have to cope without him.
Villarreal’s form in the last month is undoubtedly one of the worst since the beginning of the season, making a Real Sociedad victory the likely outcome.
The home advantage adds to it, with Villarreal often struggling to replicate their excellence away from their fans.
Real Sociedad vs Villarreal Betting Tip
- Pick: Álex Baena to score
- Odds: 6.31 (22Bet)
In the absence of Ilias, Villarreal can still count on Álex Baena to guide the team in the final third. In La Liga, he scored four goals and five assists in sixteen games.
With Thierno Barry and Gerard Moreno likely to start, Baena will benefit from teammates capable of creating opportunities for him in the final third.
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