Sports Mole previews Saturday’s La Liga clash between Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Real Sociedad to welcome Atletico Madrid at the Estadio Anoeta for a dead rubber La Liga match on the final day of the 2023-24 season on Saturday afternoon.
La Real will be looking for revenge against Los Colchoneros after suffering a 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture at Civitas Metropolitano in October last year.
Match Preview
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After securing their first top four finish in a decade to qualify for the Champions League last season, Real Sociedad must settle for sixth place in La Liga this season and will next play in the Europa League in 2024-25.
The San Sebastian-based side have won 16, drawn 12 and lost nine of their 37 league meetings and have collected nine points from their last 15 available, dropping just one point in defeats to Real Madrid (1-0) and Barcelona (2-0). ) during this race.
Imanol AlguacilThe Madrid team have won their last two matches without reply, following a narrow 1-0 home victory over Valencia with a 2-0 success at seventh-placed Real Betis last weekend, thanks to goals from Brais Méndez And Mikel Merinos.
The win guaranteed a top-six finish for Real Sociedad, but they can’t climb any higher after Athletic Bilbao beat Sevilla in their last game to secure fifth place.
Real Sociedad, who have picked up exactly 30 points home and away this season, will look to finish the season on a high in front of their own fans against an Atletico Madrid side they failed to beat in of their last eight championship matches. .
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For the first time in 12 seasons, Atletico Madrid will finish outside the top three in La Liga after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to Osasuna in their final home game of the season last weekend.
Los Colchoneros had won each of their last four league matches before their meeting with Osasuna, but a double of Raúl Garcia as well as the goals of both Aimar Oroz And Lucas Torro ultimately condemned the hosts to their 10th top-flight defeat of the campaign, three more than in 2022-23.
Atletico’s defeat to Osasuna came as a surprise to many, as they had lost just one of their last 18 La Liga matches at Civitas Metropolitano, and only their rivals Real Madrid (50) have accumulated more points than the Rouge et Blanc (49) at home. ground this term.
Nevertheless, Diego SimeoneThe Madrid team are guaranteed a top-four finish and will qualify for next season’s Champions League as they are eight points ahead of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, but they can’t catch Girona in third position, since it is five points further.
Atletico have collected less than 33% of their La Liga points away from home this season, but they will be optimistic of success on Saturday as they have avoided defeat in four of their last five visits to Real Sociedad, including each of his last three. ; Los Colchoneros could avoid defeat in four successive league trips to the Estadio Anoeta for the second time this century since a run of four victories between 2010 and 2013.
Real Sociedad La Liga form:
Atletico Madrid form in La Liga:
Team News
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Real Sociedad will be deprived Robin Le Normand, Igor Zubeldia (both muscles), Aihen Muñoz And Carlos Fernandez (both knees) due to injury, while Martin Zubimendi (muscle) will be evaluated before kick-off.
Alguacil will consider rotating his team in a few positions, such as Álvaro Odriozola, Ander Barrenetxea, Takefusa Kubo And Andre Silva all will be hoping to force their way back into the first XI after starting as substitutes last weekend.
Best score Mikel Oyarzábal will look to add to his 14 goals in all competitions, although his record against Atletico leaves little to be desired having only found the net once in his last 11 meetings with the capital club.
As for Atletico, Vitolo (knee), Nahuel Molina (hamstrings) and Pablo Barrios (muscles) all remain in the treatment room with injuries, while Stefan Savic (hit) is doubtful.
Gabriel Paulista is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards, but Axel Witsel And Jose Gimenez are both available to return after serving their own one-game suspensions and could be recalled to defense to start alongside Mario Hermoso.
Memphis Depay, Saul Niguez, Angel Correa And Alvaro Morata are among a number of Atletico players who have been linked with a possible exit this summer and they could make their final appearance for the club in any capacity on Saturday.
Possible Real Sociedad starting line-up:
Remiro; Traoré, Elustondo, Pacheco, Tierney; Merinos, Turrientes, Méndez; Kubo, Oyarzabal, Barrenetxea
Possible Atletico Madrid starting lineup:
Oblak; Llorente, Witsel, Giménez, Hermoso, Lino; Of Paul, Koke, Saul; Correa, Griezmann
We say: Real Sociedad 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Both teams are simply playing for pride in this match, but they will want to end the campaign on a high note, especially the hosts in front of their own fans.
Atletico have gotten the better of Real Sociedad in recent meetings, but with there being little between these two evenly matched teams currently, we can see Alguacil’s men claiming at least a share of the spoils this time -this.
For data analysis of most likely outcomes, scores and more for this match, please click here.
