Athletic Club vs Real Sociedad predictions and match preview for Saturday’s LaLiga fixture. Read on for analysis, team news and predicted lineups ahead of the Basque derby.
| Date | Saturday 15th April 2023 |
| Kick-Off | 16:15 (CET) |
| Stadium | San Mames |
| Competition | LaLiga |
Athletic Club vs Real Sociedad Preview
The Basque derby is the standout fixture this weekend in LaLiga and it’s always a fantastic occasion. Both sides are battling for European qualification so there’s a real need for points as well here and it promises to be a close, competitive game.
Real Sociedad have had the better of recent Basque derbies but Athletic Club could really do with a win here to boost them after a disappointing few months. Late heartbreak in their Copa del Rey Semi-Final against Osasuna was a bitter pill to swallow but 7 points from their last 3 league games suggests they may be building up to a stronger end to the league season after a relatively poor winter.
Goals from the two Williams brothers secured a 2-1 win at Espanyol last weekend. That was just four days on from their Extra Time exit in the cup and it was a good response, particularly against a side under new management. It would also have done Nico Williams plenty of good to get on the scoresheet after he missed some good chances in the cup tie.
There are some parallels with Real Sociedad who have also won two of their last three in LaLiga following a poorer run of form. Their 2-0 triumph over Getafe last weekend was one of their most convincing showings for a number of weeks but they’ve not travelled well of late with just 1 point from their last 3 away games against Valencia, Mallorca and Villarreal.
While La Real are 11 points better off than their rivals in the league table and have been above them for almost the entire season, there isn’t as much of a difference when you look at some of the underlying stats. Athletic have actually scored more goals in LaLiga this term while in terms of xPTS, Real Sociedad are only very marginally better off than their Basque neighbours who rank 5th in LaLiga for that metric (according to understat).
Team News & Possible Lineups
Athletic Club
| INJURED | Lekue, Morcillo |
| DOUBTFUL | |
| BANNED | De Marcos |
Possible XI: Simon – Yuri, Inigo Martinez, Vivian, Yeray – Vesga, Dani Garcia – N. Williams, Sancet, I. Williams – Guruzeta (4-2-3-1)
Coach: Ernesto Valverde
Real Sociedad
| INJURED | Merquelanz, Sadiq |
| DOUBTFUL | |
| BANNED |
Possible XI: Remiro – Aihen, Le Normand, Zubelida, Gorosabel – Zubimendi – Merino, Silva, Brais Mendez – Oyarzabal, Kubo (4-1-3-2)
Coach: Imanol Alguacil
Score Prediction: Athletic Club 1-0 Real Sociedad
This promises to be a close derby game but home advantage may just tilt this in favour of Athletic. Their recent performance levels have been quite good and while they aren’t always the most clinical side, you could say the same about their opponents who may struggle to create much against a strong Athletic defence.
PLEASE NOTE – Our LaLiga match predictions are not betting tips! No profits are guaranteed if you’re using them to bet on Spanish football. If you are gambling, do so responsibly and never stake more than you can afford to lose. BeGambleAware.
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