Bernabéu awaits Mourinho’s second win: prediction for Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad
The rescheduled opening round La Liga clash between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad is set for August 26, 2026, at the iconic Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid. Los Blancos kicked off their campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Espanyol, while the Basques suffered a 0-1 defeat to Betis.
Real Madrid: A tough but victorious start
José Mourinho’s side snatched all three points against Espanyol in dramatic fashion, with 21-year-old Carlos Espi marking his debut with a stunning stoppage-time winner. Now, Madrid will play their postponed first-round fixture, which was originally delayed due to several players’ involvement in the late stages of the World Cup.
Real made significant moves in the summer transfer window, bringing in the likes of Jan Diomande, Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konaté, Bernardo Silva, and Espi. However, they’re still facing some selection issues—Éder Militão, Rodrygo, Raúl Asensio, and Ferland Mendy are all ruled out, while Jude Bellingham’s fitness remains in question.
Real Sociedad: A difficult start after last season’s disappointment
The Basques began the league campaign with a 0-1 loss to Betis, conceding the only goal to Rodrigo Riquelme in the 63rd minute. After finishing tenth last season, Pellegrino Matarazzo’s squad is hoping for improvement, and their Copa del Rey triumph secured a spot in the main phase of the Europa League.
Sociedad didn’t make any summer signings, but crucially managed to keep hold of Mikel Oyarzabal. The forward started on the bench against Betis, but is expected to be in the starting lineup at the Bernabéu.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Real Madrid opened the season with a 2-1 win over Espanyol.
- Real Sociedad haven’t beaten Madrid since May 2023.
- Across the last 15 meetings in all competitions, the Basques have defeated Real just once.
Home side’s attacking class should make the difference: Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad prediction
Real Sociedad are capable of making life difficult for the favorites, but haven’t looked convincing enough in the early going. Madrid have far more attacking options at their disposal, and playing at home should help them dictate the tempo from the outset.
Real are still not perfect in terms of play, but the gulf in individual attacking quality is hard to ignore. If Los Blancos are more clinical than they were against Espanyol, they should secure a confident victory.
