Real Sociedad have hit form, while Atletico need to end their slump: Real Sociedad vs Atletico Madrid prediction
The La Liga fifth-round match between Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid will take place on 13 September at Anoeta. Both teams have seven points, but they head into the fixture in contrasting form: the Basque side are unbeaten in three consecutive league matches, while Madrid have suffered two defeats in a row in all competitions.
Real Sociedad: seven points from their last three matches
Pellegrino Matarazzo's side made a poor start to the league campaign, losing 1-0 to Betis and 4-1 to Real Madrid. Results have improved considerably since then, with victories over Espanyol 2-1 and Elche 3-2 either side of a goalless draw with Celta Vigo.
The Basque side also beat Atletico on penalties in last season's Copa del Rey final. This time, the hosts will be without the suspended Jon Martín, but Mikel Oyarzabal is once again expected to lead the attack.
Atletico Madrid: two consecutive defeats
Diego Simeone's side collected seven points from their first three La Liga matches, beating Malaga 2-0 and Sevilla 3-1 while drawing 2-2 with Villarreal. However, Madrid then suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao.
Another loss followed during the week, with Atletico beaten 2-1 by Liverpool in the Champions League despite Marcos Llorente scoring their first goal. They now need to stop the downturn quickly, although a trip to San Sebastián is unlikely to be straightforward.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Real Sociedad have collected seven points from their last three league matches.
- Atletico have lost their last two matches in all competitions.
- Atletico Madrid are unbeaten against Real Sociedad in La Liga since September 2019.
The teams could fail to produce a winner again: Real Sociedad vs Atletico Madrid prediction
Sociedad have improved noticeably after a difficult start and are capable of matching the visitors at home. Atletico remain the more experienced side, but their two recent defeats show that Madrid are vulnerable at the moment.
Meetings between these teams are often tight, while last season's match at this ground ended 1-1. A similar outcome looks entirely plausible this time.
