Who will claim their first tournament victory? Prediction for Lillestrøm vs Real Sociedad, October 22
On Thursday, October 22, Norwegian side Lillestrøm will host Spanish club Real Sociedad at Åråsen Stadium in the third round of the UEFA Europa League league phase. Both teams have made highly disappointing starts to their European campaigns and are now desperate for their first victory to launch a serious push for a place in the knockout stage.
Lillestrøm come into their home fixture in 23rd place in the overall standings, with just 1 point to their name. The Scandinavian side made a difficult start to their European campaign, suffering an unexpected 2-1 defeat to Portugal's Torreense in the opening round before rescuing a draw away to Sparta Prague (1-1). The Norwegian club are traditionally strong and aggressive on home soil, relying on physical battles, athleticism and excellent fitness levels. In front of their own fans, the hosts will therefore do everything possible to offer the favourites maximum resistance.
Real Sociedad sit just above them in 22nd place in the standings, having also collected only 1 point from their opening two matches. The Spanish giants began their Europa League campaign with a 2-1 defeat to English side Bournemouth, before sharing the points away to Belgium's Union Saint-Gilloise (1-1) in the second round. The visitors possess considerably greater individual quality, extensive European experience and a well-drilled passing game. However, a trip to northern Europe in cold weather will demand maximum concentration from the San Sebastián side, as well as an ability to adapt to their opponents' physical style.
The tactical script of the upcoming encounter will be dictated entirely by the Spanish club's superiority in possession and individual quality. Real Sociedad are expected to take control of the ball from the opening minutes, look to raise the tempo and apply intense positional pressure. Lillestrøm will respond with an extremely compact mid-block, tight marking in central areas and an emphasis on physical dominance in aerial duels, as well as quick vertical attacks and dangerous set-piece routines. Nevertheless, the visitors' superiority in possession, the high intensity of their attacks and the Basque side's ability to break down a packed defence with short passing should ultimately produce a logical result.
Prediction
The Spanish side are playing good football and should deal with their opponents without too much trouble. My prediction: Real Sociedad to win at 1.51
