Sports Mole previews Saturday’s La Liga clash between Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
The latest instalment of the Basque derby will take place at Reale Arena on Saturday evening, with Real Sociedad welcoming Athletic Bilbao in the top flight of Spanish football.
The hosts are currently 17th in the La Liga table, picking up just nine points from their first 10 matches of the campaign, while Athletic are ninth, collecting 14 points from their first 10 games.
Match preview
Real Sociedad have found it difficult to get going in La Liga this season, only picking up nine points from their first 10 matches of the campaign, which has left them down in 17th spot in the table.
The Basque outfit have a record of two wins, three draws and five defeats from their 10 league fixtures, but there have been positive signs of late, with the team triumphing in two of their last three games in all competitions, including a 2-1 success over Sevilla in La Liga last time out.
The White and Blues then beat SD Negreira 3-0 in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday, and they will now be looking for two more morale-boosting wins over Athletic and Elche before the international break.
Real Sociedad, who finished a disappointing 11th in La Liga last season, have won 59 of their previous 171 matches against Athletic, suffering 68 defeats in the process.
La Real have actually only won one of their last five matches against Athletic, but it was 0-0 when the two sides met in the corresponding game during the 2024-25 campaign.
Athletic, meanwhile, suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Getafe in La Liga last weekend, with the result leaving Ernesto Valverde‘s side in ninth spot in the table, boasting 14 points from 10 matches.
The Lions have struggled in the final third of the field this season, only finding the back of the net on nine occasions, but they have been fairly solid defensively, conceding 10 times.
Valverde’s team are four points off fifth-placed Espanyol, and they will be wary of that gap becoming bigger, while Athletic are five points off fourth-placed Atletico Madrid in the race for the Champions League.
The Lions have picked up three points from their three matches in the league phase of the Champions League this season, and they recorded a 3-1 victory over Qarabag in the competition last time out.
Athletic have won two of their last three home league matches against Real Sociedad, although they have not managed to beat their Basque rivals away from home in Spain’s top flight since March 2017.
Real Sociedad La Liga form:
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Real Sociedad form (all competitions):
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Athletic Bilbao La Liga form:
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Athletic Bilbao form (all competitions):
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Team News
Real Sociedad will be missing Orri Oskarsson, Jon Karrikaburu and Yangel Herrera through injury, while Inaki Ruperez is also a major doubt for the home side here.
Head coach Sergio Francisco made wholesale changes for the team’s last match in the Copa del Rey, but the big-hitters will return for this one, including Mikel Oyarzabal.
Oyarzabal is the only player in the Real Sociedad squad to score more than once this season, finding the back of the net on four occasions, and he will again be the main attacking threat for the home side here.
As for Athletic, Yeray Alvarez and Inigo Lekue will miss the match through suspension, with the former not available until next April following a failed drugs test.
Benat Prados, Unai Egiluz and Inaki Williams are also out of the game due to injury, while Aymeric Laporte will face a late fitness test, so the Lions have availability issues for this one.
There are not expected to be any surprises when it comes to the away side’s XI, with Gorka Guruzeta set to feature at centre-forward, while Nico Williams will operate in a wide area.
Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Aramburu, Zubeldia, Martin, Gomez; Guedes, Mendez, Gorrotxategi, Soler, Barrenetxea; Oyarzabal
Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:
Simon; Areso, Paredes, Vivian, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; Berenguer, Sancet, N Williams; Guruzeta
We say: Real Sociedad 1-1 Athletic Bilbao
There has only been one draw in the last seven meetings between the two sides, but that came in the corresponding game last term, and we are expecting the points to again be shared this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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