Real Sociedad will welcome Mallorca to Reale Arena this Wednesday looking to continue their impressive form in all competitions.
Venue: Reale Arena (San Sebastian)
Key Statistics
Real Sociedad have won their last seven games in all competitions.
They have nine wins from their last 11 matches as home favourites across all competitions (D1, L1).
The hosts have three clean sheets in their last five games.
They have scored 2+ goals in six of their last seven wins.
Real Mallorca have lost all four encounters with La Liga clubs to have finished seventh or higher last season.
Just one of Mallorca’s nine La Liga matches this season has seen more than one first-half goal.
The visitors have not scored more than one goal to their name in each of their last six La Liga games against any opposition.
Head to head
Real Sociedad have won each of their last five games against Real Mallorca, keeping a clean sheet in each game.
Latest performances in all competitions
Real Sociedad: W-W-W-W-W
Mallorca: L-D-L-W-L
Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad will look to make it eight wins in eight games when they welcome Mallorca to San Sebastian on Wednesday.
The hosts boast their longest winning streak of their nearly 200 competitive matches with Imanol Alguacil in charge, with seven wins from their last seven games in all competitions
Their last outing was a 2-1 triumph away to Celta Vigo and has brought them sitting just one point behind their nine-game start to the previous two La Liga seasons. That win also lifted Sociedad closer to the La Liga top four as they mount another challenge for a UEFA Champions League spot.
They are currently on 19 points, level with Atletico Madrid and Real Betis and have been tipped to join the title race. But head coach Alguacil has been in the job long enough to know that seasons aren’t defined in October. The Spanish boss has been publicly demanding humility and an unerring focus from his players, telling them: “Be honest, be humble, keep working and think that we haven’t done anything.”
He will hope that his boys can keep their focus in what will be a long season full of ups and downs. The hosts have already tasted one of those down times which came in the form of defeat to Getafe in September.
Those kinds of games are reminders of their imperfections. However, they have every reason to be confident of disposing of Mallorca after nine wins from their last 11 matches as home favourites across all competitions (D1, L1).
Possible Real Sociedad starting line-up
Alex Remiro; Andoni Gorosabel, Igor Zubeldia, Robin Le Normand, Aihen Munoz; Brais Mendez, Mikel Merino, Martín Zubimendi, David Silva; Alexander Sorloth, Takefusa Kubo.
Injured: Umar Sadiq, André Martin, Mohamed Cho
Doubtful: Martin Merquelanz
Suspended: None
Real Mallorca
Mallorca will travel to San Sebastian looking to end a run of three league games without a win (L2, D1).
The visitors were beaten 1-0 by Sevilla last time out, leaving them with just two wins after nine rounds of matches this season.
Despite their mid-table position, they seem to be once again flirting with the relegation zone. They come into this round sitting just two points ahead of Almería in the final relegation spot.
Their undoing has been a lack of efficiency in front of the goal with Javier Aguirre’s side conjuring up the most goal attempts in all three games of their current La Liga winless run (D1, L2).
While they will hope to do better in this game, Real Sociedad are not the best opponents for them to get back to form given that they have lost all five of their last encounters with Imanol Alguacil’s men. They have also lost all four encounters with La Liga clubs to have finished seventh or higher last season following 1-0 home defeats to Barcelona and Sevilla earlier this month.
Possible Mallorca starting line-up
Predrag Rajkovic; Pablo Maffeo, Martin Valjent, Antonio Raillo, Manuel Arias, Ezequiel Cufre; Idrissu Babu, I. Ruiz de, Antonio Sanchez; Kang-in Lee, Andres Battaglia, Abdon Prats Bastidas.
Injured: Tino Kadewere, Jaume Costa
Doubtful: Dominik Greif
Suspended: None
Prediction
Real Sociedad 2-0 Real Mallorca
