Real Sociedad Faces AS Monaco in Europa League

Some people considered the UEFA Europa League a B-side tournament. There’s no doubt that the Champions League is better, but the UEL also offers great matches. Real Sociedad vs AS Monaco is the perfect example.

Last season, Real Sociedad finished fifth in La Liga, while AS Monaco finished third in Ligue 1. Real Sociedad’s roster includes Adnan Januzaj, Mikel Merino, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Aritz Elustondo. AS Monaco’s roster includes Aleksandr Golovin, Cesc Fabregas, Kevin Volland, and Wissam Ben Yedder. Don’t tell me there are no reasons to be excited!

If that wasn’t enough to convince you, Group B top spot will be on the line. Let’s check the latest news, stats, injury reports, and soccer lines for Real Sociedad vs AS Monaco. We’ve plenty of predictions for you to consider!

Game: Real Sociedad vs AS Monaco
Location: Reale Arena, San Sebastian, Spain
Time: Thursday, Sept. 30, 12:45 p.m. ET
TV: beIN Sports
Live Stream: fuboTV

UEFA Europa League Betting Lines

Head to Head

• Previous Matches: 1
• Real Sociedad Victories: 1 (2 goals)
• AS Monaco Victories: 0 (1 goal)
• Draws: 0

This will be their first meeting in an official competition. Nevertheless, they collided in a friendly match last July. Despite being a friendly match, both managers played several starters. Real Sociedad won 2-1 with goals from Adnan Januzaj and William Jose. Aleksandr Golovin scored for AS Monaco.

Overall, Real Sociedad owns a 4-2-3 record against French teams, they’ve scored 11 goals and allowed eight. AS Monaco owns a 9-4-10 record against teams from Spain, they’ve scored 36 goals and allowed 35.

Why bet on Real Sociedad?

If last season was a good one for Real Sociedad, the 2021-22 season is looking better. They sit in La Liga’s second place with 16 points thanks to a 5-1-1 record. They’re only one point behind Real Madrid. Also, they’ve scored 10 goals and allowed six.

In the UEL, they managed to start the Group Stage with a 2-2 draw against PSV. Not bad considering the game was in Netherlands.

None of that is the product of luck. Manager Imanol Alguacil has done a great job balancing the squad between experienced and young players. They’ve been winning despite not having Alexander Isak due to injury. Last offseason, Isak was tempted by several European powerhouses, including Real Madrid.

They’ve scored at least one goal in seven of their previous eight games in all competitions. Without Isak, they’ve been playing 4-5-1, heavily relying on the counterattack, and they’ve been very effective.

Playing at home increases their betting online value. They remain unbeaten with a 3-1-0 record, 0-2-2 against the spread and 0-4 over/under. Beating them at San Sebastian isn’t easy, even Real Madrid and Barcelona usually suffer.

There are several players questionable due to muscular spasms, including Nacho Monreal, Asier Illarramendi, David Silva, and Alexander Sorloth. Their expected lineup is Alex Remiro; Andoni Gorosabel, Igor Zubeldia, Aritz Elustondo, Ahien Munoz; Martin Zubimendi, Ander Guevara, Mikel Merino, Adnan Januzaj, Mikel Oyarzabal; Julen Lobete.

Why Bet on AS Monaco?

AS Monaco had a rocky start to the season, but recently they turned things around. They won their last two games, against Saint-Etienne and Clermont, with a 6-2 aggregate. Kevin Volland and Wissam Ben Yedder scored in both games. Regaining confidence prior to a crucial game like this one is huge. Volland and Ben Yedder are the main reasons for you to consider including AS Monaco in your soccer picks.

Regarding the UEL, they started the Group Stage on the right foot by beating Stum 1-0. Krepin Diatta was the scorer. They completely dominated the game, in fact, they should have scored more goals. In the previous round, they beat Shakhtar Donetsk, a team used to play in the Champions League.

Manager Niko Kovac has also done a great job mixing experienced and young players, more young than experienced. AS Monaco has the starting eleven with the lowest average age (24.3) from across Europe’s top five leagues.

“It’s this sort of AS Monaco that we like to see, including substitutes capable of making a difference. We want to continue this run, continue to win,” said Kovac after their last game.

They’re 2-1-1 when playing on the road, 2-2 against the spread, and 3-1 over/under. They could settle for a draw here, but they’ve enough talent to win. They’re not afraid to attack at any stadium. Volland and Ben Yedder are some of the best-attacking duos in the continent.

Jean Marcelin is out due to injury; the rest of the team is ready to go. Their expected lineup is Alexander Nubel; Djibril Sidibe, Guillermo Maripan, Strahinja Pavlovic, Caio Henrique; Krepin Diatta, Youssouf Fofana, Gelson Martins, Aleksandr Golovin; Wissam Ben Yedder, Kevin Volland.

Final Analysis and Predictions

Expect nothing less than a showdown. Real Sociedad is a very proud team when playing at home, but AS Monaco can win anywhere. The visiting side has another advantage thanks to Ben Yedder. He played three seasons in La Liga with Sevilla, which means he knows Real Sociedad pretty well.

Trust me, you won’t find a more tempting and well-prepared underdog than AS Monaco. Not having several starters will affect Real Sociedad chances, but they will still put up a fight.

Don’t forget to check the props our sportsbook is offering for this and other games to increase your winning chances. Take a shot on the correct score, half time/full time winner, and more!

Score Prediction: Real Sociedad 1 – AS Monaco 2

Pick: AS Monaco at +210