Preview: Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad - prediction, team news, lineups

The two sides met as recently as the penultimate weekend of the 2022-23 season, with Atletico running out 2-1 winners.

Match preview

After yet another third-place finish in La Liga, Atletico have shown the best and the worst of themselves so far during pre-season.

Diego Simeone's men inexplicably lost 3-2 to a K-League All-Star side despite leading with 89 minutes on the clock in the first of their friendlies.

However, on Sunday, Atleti then made up for that late collapse by beating a full-strength Manchester City side.

Champions League football is to come once again for the Colchoneros, and transfer market activity is likely, so the side which will start against Granada on the first Monday of the new season may well be very different.

There are two more friendlies to come before La Liga gets underway though, as a clash with Sevilla on Saturday will follow this fixture.

Atletico were the only side to beat Real Sociedad in their final nine games of the season.

An excellent 20 points from a possible 27 to finish the season secured Champions League football for the San Sebastian club for the first time in 11 years.

La Real have suffered a slightly disappointing start to pre-season though, with two bruising defeats on their return to action.

Alejandro Catena's hattrick helped Osasuna to a 3-1 win over Imanol Alguacil's side, before Sporting Lisbon thrashed the Spaniards 3-0 last week.

A solitary goal from Brais Mendez earned Real Sociedad their first win of pre-season against Bayer Leverkusen on Friday night though.

La Real start their La Liga campaign against Girona and will also face another Spanish club, Real Betis, in their final pre-season clash at the weekend.

Atletico Madrid friendly form:

L

W

Real Sociedad friendly form:

Team News

Defensive trio Cesar Azpilicueta, Caglar Soyuncu and Javi Galan have all made their first appearances in an Atletico shirt over the past two weeks.

Their presence is needed given the injury crisis facing Simeone at the back currently, with Jose Maria Gimenez, Reinildo, Nahuel Molina and Stefan Savic all currently sidelined.

Memphis Depay played his first minutes of action this pre-season and found the net in their win over Man City at the weekend.

Joao Felix has returned from his loan spell with Chelsea, but after being an unused sub against the K-League All-Stars, he was left out of the side entirely against City.

Hamari Traore has been the only notable incomer at Real Sociedad this summer, and the full-back played 41 minutes against Leverkusen recently.

Alguacil has a largely full-strength squad at his disposal here, but Andoni Gorosabel was absent for the game against the German side.

The Real Sociedad faithful will not get the privilege of watching David Silva turn out at Anoeta again this season after the midfielder announced his retirement from football last week.

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:

Grbic; Azpilicueta, Soyuncu, Witsel, Mario Hermoso, Javi Galan; De Paul, Koke; Griezmann, Depay, Carrasco

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:

Alex Remiro; Traore, Le Normand, Diego Rico, Aihen Munoz; Merino, Zubeldia, Zubimendi; Kubo, Sadiq, Oyarzabal

We say: Atletico Madrid 1-1 Real Sociedad

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