Real Sociedad welcomes Athletic Bilbao onto their turf on Saturday as they look to extend their good run in La Liga. Athletic Bilbao will be looking to snap a two-match losing streak.
The hosts are in third place with 32 points from 16 matches, including ten wins, two losses, and four draws. They have won their last three matches and will be looking to keep up the rich vein of form. They have scored six goals in the last three matches while conceding just one. Manager Imanol Alguacil will be hoping that his players will produce another good display.
On the other hand, the restart of the season has not panned out well for Athletic Bilbao. They had to suffer two frustrating draws, but more importantly, they have not managed to score in either match. They will be hoping to turn their luck around.
Now we look at some stats that could predict the match’s outcome.
Season so far
The above visual shows the percentile rank of Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao compared to other teams in La Liga. Athletic Bilbao, who has good attacking stats, will be welcomed by the hosts. Athletic Bilbao has better stats than Real Sociedad in goals per game, shots, and crosses per game. Real Sociedad, meanwhile, has better stats in possession, high press success, and passes per game. The visitors also have better stats in recoveries per game.
Attack
The above visual shows the efficiency of positional attacks by different teams in La Liga. Athletic Bilbao has 13% efficiency when it comes to positional attacks and is third on the list. Meanwhile, Real Sociedad, with 12% efficiency, is fourth on the list. The hosts launch an average of 28.06 positional attacks per game, with 27.8% of them leading to shots. On the other hand, Athletic Bilbao launches an average of 34 positional attacks per game with a success rate of 26.9%.
The above visual shows the number of attacks through the centre zone per 90 minutes. Real Sociedad is second on the list with an average of 22 attacks through central zones per 90 minutes. Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao attacks through the centre about 21 times. Both teams will be looking to make sure they don’t leave too much space in the middle of the field.
Defence
The above visual shows the defensive duels done by different teams in La Liga. Real Sociedad leads the list with 60% success. They contest an average of 72.06 defensive duels per game with a 59.2% success rate. Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao makes an average of 63.38 defensive duels per game with a 57% success rate.
Real Sociedad is ranked very highly for recoveries per game. They make around 14 recoveries in the opponent’s half per game and are at the top of the list. Real Sociedad, on the other hand, is significantly lower, with around nine recoveries in the opposing half of each game. The visitors recover possession around 91 times per game, while Sociedad makes around 78.63 recoveries per game.
Key Players
The above visual shows the xG map of Brais Mendez from the current season. The midfielder has scored seven goals this season and has been a livewire in the midfield for Real Sociedad. They attempted 31 shots, with 13 of them on target. He had an xG rate of 3.05 and has exceeded this metric easily. He will be key in this battle.
The above visual shows the penetrating carries made by Nico Williams this season. With an average of 8.21 dribbles per game, he poses a threat through the wings. Nico is fast and can dribble past players with ease. He will have a big role in deciding the result of the match.
Team News
The hosts will be without Mikel Oyarzabal, who is still out with muscular injuries. They will also miss the services of Nacho Monreal, Diego Rico, and Carlos Fernandez.
The visitors, on the other hand, will be without Dani Vivian and Yuri Berchiche. Inaki Williams, Raul Garcia, and Nico Williams could lead the front line.
Betting Analysis
Looking at the 1×2 odd market, the odds for Real Sociedad stand at 2.46, while the odds for Athletic Bilbao are at 3.16. Meanwhile, the over/under line market is expected to be under 2.
Real Sociedad is in good form and has won their last three matches. They will be hoping to continue their good form and extend their winning streak. On the other hand, Athletic Bilbao will be looking to turn their fortunes around when they face Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
