Champions League semifinalists Villarreal will be looking to leapfrog Real Sociedad in the standings on Sunday when the two sides face other in the penultimate round of the Spanish top-flight league. You can live bet on the La Liga action by using our sportsbook.
Let’s check the latest news, stats, injury reports and Spain La Liga odds for Villarreal vs Real Sociedad. We’ve plenty of predictions for you to consider.
Villarreal: Superb Season
Villarreal incredibly reached the Champions League semifinals by dispatching Bayern Munich in the last eight, but their journey in the competition came to an end in the final four, losing 5-2 on aggregate to Liverpool.
Unai Emery’s side has actually lost three of their last four matches in all competitions before returning to winning ways in the midweek’s 5-1 away win against Rayo Vallecano. Villarreal is currently seventh in the table, three points behind sixth-placed Real Sociedad in the race to secure a Europa League position. They will take on Sociedad this weekend before heading to Barcelona on the final round of the domestic campaign, so they will have to do it the hard way if the club is to earn their spot in next season’s Europa League.
Villarreal enjoyed a great European season in the Champions League. Juventus had no idea what hit them and Bayern Munich was not expecting it either, but Liverpool got the better of them. Emery insists that having beaten two giants en route to the Champions League semifinal is a better achievement than winning the Europa League last season.
Emery found excellence in certain players finding the perfect balance inside the team. We all want to see them in the European competitions next year, no matter which one. Let’s say they will finish seventh and play in the Conference League. Be sure that they will be huge favorites to go all the way and win the trophy. Their home form was top-notch this season so we will include them in our soccer picks and parlays with a small stake.
Real Sociedad: Return to Winning Ways
Real Sociedad has picked up 59 points from their 36 La Liga matches this season, which has left them in the sixth position in the table, two points behind fifth-placed Real Betis and three ahead of seventh-placed Villarreal with two games left.
The Basque side is in pole position to claim a Europa League spot for next term, but their recent struggles have seen them fall away when it comes to a possible Champions League finish. After dropping 10 points in four games, Real Sociedad returned to winning ways in the midweek action, beating relegation-threatened Cadiz 3-0 on home soil.
Real Sociedad will again be missing Mikel Oyarzabal, Nacho Monreal, Carlos Fernandez, and Ander Barrenetxea through injury, but Robin Le Normand and Alexander Isak will return to the starting lineup after serving their suspension. Before the match against Cadiz, Real Sociedad’s recent form has been disappointing so if you’re betting online, we don’t recommend you back them to win this clash.
Sociedad’s record against top-eight clubs this domestic season — winless in their last 12 games — will likely be of great concern to manager Imanol Alguacil, and another defeat here may make next week’s final-day tussle with Atletico a must-win.
Villarreal vs Real Sociedad Head-to-Head
Villarreal and Real Sociedad finish level on points and have to be separated by their head-to-head record to decide their final positions in the table. Villarreal’s 3-1 win at Sociedad in December could prove decisive alongside the result here. The hosts are one of the best home teams this season, losing just twice in 18 games in front of their fans while scoring 39 goals in the process.
On the other side, Real Sociedad is not regarded as a good traveler, winning just six in their 18 away games and conceding 27 goals in the process. The two teams produced great games every time they faced each other, with both contributing on the scoresheet in each of their last five domestic league head-to-heads.
Villarreal vs Real Sociedad Game Information
- Game: Villarreal (15-11-10) vs Real Sociedad (16-11-9)
- Location: Estadio de la Ceramica (Villarreal)
- Day/Time: Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET
- Villarreal vs Real Sociedad Live Stream: MLB.tv
Villarreal vs Real Sociedad Betting Lines
Villarreal vs Real Sociedad Predictions
The hosts enter this clash as favorites at +100 on the three-way moneyline according to the latest soccer odds while the goal line is set at 2½.
Sociedad has dropped points in consecutive La Liga road fixtures against weaker opposition, picking up just one point in the process, courtesy of conceding goals in the final 15 minutes of the games. That’s not a good habit to hold against a Villarreal side that, ahead of this round, has scored La Liga’s second-most goals at home during that same span with 11 of them.
In terms of goals, we expect a high-scoring match. This is a must-win for both sides and we expect them both to enter this clash all guns blazing. Given their great home record and return to form, Villarreal should have enough to add three more points to their season tally but for our official pick for this clash, we are going with goals for the home team.
