Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol will travel to San Sebastian this Thursday to face Real Sociedad in the fourth group-stage game of the 2022/23 UEFA Europa League (UEL) season.
Venue: Reale Arena (San Sebastian)
Key Statistics
Real Sociedad have won their last five games in all competitions.
They have kept two clean sheets in their last two games.
The hosts have scored 2+ goals in four of their last five games.
Sheriff Tiraspol have won their last four away games.
They have kept five clean sheets in their last five away games (W4, D1).
The visitors have failed to score in three of their last five games.
Head to head
Real Sociedad won the first and only meeting between both sides (2-0).
Latest performances in all competitions
Real Sociedad: W-W-W-W-W
Sheriff Tiraspol; W-L-W-D-L
Real Sociedad
After securing a morale-boosting 1-0 win over fellow top-four aspirants Villarreal in La Liga, Real Sociedad will turn their attention to securing a fourth consecutive Europa League (UEL) group stage when they host Sheriff Tiraspol.
The hosts produced their fifth consecutive win when they secured victory over Villarreal last Sunday. They will host Sheriff looking to get a win that could potentially see them seal a place in the knockout round playoffs of the Europa League, depending on results elsewhere in the group.
Imanol Alguacil hailed his side’s “magnificent” victory over Villareal last weekend and will hope that his side can keep a third clean sheet in a row in this game after securing two in a row–the first coming in a 2-0 win over Sheriff last week.
Possible Real Sociedad starting line-up
Alex Remiro; Alex Sola, Aritz Elustondo, Jon Pacheco, Aihen Munoz; Mikel Merino, Martín Zubimendi, Brais Mendez, David Silva; Alexander Sorloth, Takefusa Kubo.
Injured: Umar Sadiq, André Martin, Mohamed Cho, Ander Barrenetxea
Doubtful: Martin Merquelanz
Suspended: None
Sheriff Tiraspol
Sheriff Tiraspol will look to continue their impressive away form when they visit San Sebastian on Thursday.
Despite making a statement last season in the Champions League when they beat Real Madrid away from home, the Moldovan champions were not widely considered a threat to Sociedad and Manchester United in Group E.
Those claims have been substantiated by back-to-back 2-0 home defeats against those two Group E rivals, leaving them in the unenviable position of likely needing points from the two most difficult away trips of the group to avoid being dumped out from this stage of a UEFA competition for a sixth consecutive appearance.
While they have struggled at home, Sheriff have enjoyed great results away from home. A 3-0 win at Cypriot minnows Omonia broke a run of seven straight UEFA away trips without a victory (D4, L3), which suggests they’re unlikely to get revenge for the two-goal defeat in the reverse fixture.
They come into this game with four wins in their last four away games, with four of those games seeing them keep a clean sheet.
But their win at Omonia was also their only triumph from their last seven outings as outsiders (D1, L5), illustrating yet again how rarely Tiraspol can produce an upset win at this level.
Possible Sheriff Tiraspol starting line-up
Maksym Koval; Armel Zohouri, Gaby Kiki, Stjepan Radeljic, Patrick Kpozo; Mohamed Diop, Cedric Badolo, Abou Ouattara; Ibrahim Akanbi, Pernambuco, Felipe Vizeu.
Injured: Believe Atiemwen, Moussa Kyabou
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Real Sociedad 2-0 Sheriff Tiraspol
