Sevillavs.Real Sociedad

Garcia Pimienta's side are currently 10th in the La Liga table, boasting 15 points from their opening 11 matches of the season, while Real Sociedad are 12th, picking up 12 points from their first 11 games of 2024-25.

Match preview

Sevilla will enter Sunday's clash in strong form, having won three of their last four matches in all competitions, while they have only been beaten once in their last six games, which was a 5-1 loss at Barcelona on October 20.

Garcia Pimienta's side were 2-0 winners over Espanyol in La Liga last time out, and a total of 15 points from 11 matches has left them in 10th spot in the table, only three points behind fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao.

Los Nervionenses were in Copa del Rey action on Wednesday night, booking their spot in the second round of the competition courtesy of a 3-0 success over Las Rozas, so they have also now kept back-to-back clean sheets since losing heavily at Barcelona.

Sevilla finished 14th in La Liga last season, which proved to be their worst final spot since being relegated at the end of the 1999-2000 campaign, so there is clear room for improvement this term.

After a tough start, there have been plenty of positive signs in recent weeks, and Sevilla will now be bidding to put two more wins on the board against Real Sociedad and Leganes ahead of the November international break.

Real Sociedad have certainly underachieved in the early stages of the 2024-25 campaign, boasting a record of three wins, three draws and five defeats from 11 matches, which has left them in 12th spot in the table on 12 points.

The Basque side are already eight points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, and goals have been a huge problem this season, having only found the back of the net on eight occasions, which is the joint-worst record in the division.

Imanol Alguacil's side have been defensively strong, only conceding 10 times, but their lack of goals is a concern, with only two players - Takefusa Kubo and Orri Oskarsson - finding the back of the net more than once for La Real this term.

Real Sociedad suffered a 2-0 defeat to Osasuna in La Liga last weekend, but they have won two of their last three matches, including a 2-1 success over Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League on October 24.

The Basque team have another three matches before the November international break, facing Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League next week before the small matter of a home fixture against La Liga leaders Barcelona.

Sevilla La Liga form:

L

W

D

W

L

W

Sevilla form (all competitions):

D

W

L

W

W

W

Real Sociedad La Liga form:

L

D

W

D

W

L

Real Sociedad form (all competitions):

W

L

D

W

W

L

Team News

Sevilla will again be missing three players through injury on Sunday, with Suso, Saul Niguez and Chidera Ejuke unavailable for selection, but the home side have not reported any fresh concerns since their Copa del Rey fixture.

Kelechi Iheanacho scored twice in the cup match last time out, but he could find himself back on the bench for this match, with Isaac Romero set to feature through the middle at Estadio Ramon.

There will be a number of changes to the side that started against Las Rozas, including a recall for Dodi Lukebakio, who is the team's leading goalscorer this season with five in all competitions.

As for Real Sociedad, Pablo Marin and Hamari Traore remain on the treatment table for the Basque side.

Head coach Alguacil is likely to resist the temptation to make wholesale changes to his side following the defeat to Osasuna, but there is expected to be a recall for Kubo in a wide position.

Oskarsson is likely to retain his spot in the final third of the field for the Basque side, while Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Oyarzabal will again be notable inclusions in the Real Sociedad XI at Estadio Ramon.

Sevilla possible starting lineup:

Nyland; Carmona, Bade, Nianzou, Pedrosa; Gudelj, Lokonga; Lukebakio, J Sanchez, Idumbo; Romero

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:

Remrio; Aramburu, Zubeldia, Aguerd, Gomez; Oyarzabal, Mendez, Zubimendi, Sucic, Kubo; Oskarsson

We say: Sevilla 1-1 Real Sociedad

Sevilla beat Real Sociedad 3-2 at Estadio Ramon last season, and there has not actually been a draw between these two sides since March 2022, but we can see the points being shared in a low-scoring affair on Sunday.

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