Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid | Football Previews & Free Betting Tips | 13th September 2025

🗞️ Introduction

Reale Arena host the early-season La Liga pace-setters as Real Madrid visit a Real Sociedad side still bedding in new faces. It’s a proper yardstick for both: La Real looking to sharpen up after a quiet start in front of goal, Madrid purring with three wins from three and the new front line already humming. Expect a full house in Donostia with plenty of travelling Madridistas adding to the noise.

Tactically, Real Sociedad are most likely to set up in a compact 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 hybrid: tidy in midfield, aggressive on the press triggers down the right with Hamari Traoré overlapping and Brais Méndez drifting in. Real Madrid will mirror a fluid 4-3-3 that becomes a 4-2-2-2 out of possession, quick to spring in transition with Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo stretching while Kylian Mbappé prowls between the lines and beyond.

👕 Team News

Real Sociedad

Injuries: Yangel Herrera (muscle) is out. Orri Óskarsson has been managed carefully after a recent muscle issue and is a doubt.

Available core: Álex Remiro; Hamari Traoré, Igor Zubeldia, Aritz Elustondo, Jon Pacheco/Aihen Muñoz; Benat Turrientes, Brais Méndez, Luka Sučić; Takefusa Kubo, Mikel Oyarzabal, Sheraldo Becker/Carlos Fernández. New centre-half Nayef Aguerd adds aerial presence if called upon.

Roles on the day: Kubo’s one-v-one threat is central to La Real’s attacking thrusts; Oyarzabal will drop in to link play and open lanes for Becker’s runs beyond. Sučić offers ball-carrying between the thirds, while Traoré’s overlaps are a key out-ball.

Real Madrid

Injuries: Jude Bellingham (shoulder), Eduardo Camavinga (ankle), Endrick (thigh), Ferland Mendy (knock) and Éder Militão (leg) have all been sidelined recently.

Available core: Thibaut Courtois; Dani Carvajal/Trent Alexander-Arnold (rotation), Antonio Rüdiger, David Alaba, Fran García; Aurélien Tchouaméni, Federico Valverde; Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, Kylian Mbappé, with Brahim Díaz/Arda Güler as creative options.

Roles on the day: Tchouaméni anchors and releases the wide forwards, Valverde provides the legs to pin Sociedad’s midfield, while Mbappé’s channel running will constantly test the space behind Traoré and Pacheco.

📋 Form

Real Sociedad (last 10 competitive): W-D-L: 3-4-3.
Goals: 9 for, 7 against (0.9 scored / 0.7 conceded per match).
Clean sheets: 5/10.

They’ve been organised and stubborn, but chance creation has ebbed and flowed. Lots of games decided by fine margins; set-piece output remains modest but improving as Sučić beds in.
Real Madrid (last 10 competitive): W-D-L: 6-2-2.
Goals: 17 for, 7 against (1.7 scored / 0.7 conceded per match).
Clean sheets: 4/10.

Control without fuss: compact out of possession and ruthless when the break is on. Wide forwards have shared the load and the back line has kept the door largely bolted.

📊 Key Match Stats

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Metric Real Sociedad La Real Real Madrid Los Blancos
Average goals scored per match ~1.3 (season trend); 0.9 (last 10) ~2.0 (season trend); 1.7 (last 10)
Average goals conceded per match ~1.0 (season trend); 0.7 (last 10) ~0.3 (season trend); 0.7 (last 10)
Clean sheet percentage ~67% early season; 50% last 10 ~67% early season; 40% last 10
Average possession ~43% ~65%
Average corners per match ~4.3 ~5.0
Average yellow cards per match ~1.7 ~0.7
Average shots (total / on target) ~11 / ~3.7 ~15.3 / ~5.7
Expected goals (xG) per match ~1.0–1.2 ~1.8
Set-piece goals (for / against) per match ~0.3 / ~0.2–0.3 ~0.3 / ~0.3
Pass completion rate ~79% ~87%
Tackles / interceptions per match ~16 / ~9 ~14 / ~7
Goal timing split ~40% first half, ~60% second half ~50% first half, ~50% second half
Over / Under 2.5 match goals Over ~33–40% Over ~33% (early season underish)
Average points per match ~0.7–1.4 depending sample (0.67 early season) 3.00 early season (form), ~2.0 longer run

La Real Real Sociedad

Goals for / against (last 10)0.9 / 0.7
Clean sheets (last 10)5 of 10
Possession~43%
Shots (total / on target)~11 / ~3.7
Pass completion~79%
Over 2.5 frequency~33–40%

Los Blancos Real Madrid

Goals for / against (last 10)1.7 / 0.7
Clean sheets (last 10)4 of 10
Possession~65%
Shots (total / on target)~15.3 / ~5.7
Pass completion~87%
Over 2.5 frequency~33%

🏟️ Home vs Away Form

Real Sociedad at home (last 10, all comps): typically solid in Donostia, around the break-even mark for wins with a clean-sheet rate near one in two. Expect a low-scoring tilt unless they score first, when the game opens for Kubo on the counter.

Real Madrid away (last 10, all comps): strong travellers, often winning the xG race through volume of chances rather than sheer possession. Recent away games trend to under three goals unless they get ahead early.

⚔️ Attack vs Defence


Goals For (avg)

Goals Against (avg)




KickTheBookies BTTS likelihood: 55%

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🥅 Players to Watch

Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad): the first step and disguise on the cut-inside is the home side’s best route to chances. If he isolates the full-back, La Real are in business.
Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid): forever on the shoulder; one pass into space and the whole picture changes. The hosts must keep the distances tight between centre-backs and full-backs.

🧠 KickTheBookies Prediction

1–2 away win. Real Sociedad are neat and disciplined but still searching for fluency in the final third. Madrid’s defensive baseline is steady and their front three carry more instant threat. If La Real score first it becomes a very different tie, but the visitors’ pace and depth off the bench tilt it their way.

💡 Betting Tips

Main pick: Real Madrid to win — stronger recent output in both boxes and more routes to goal even with injuries.

Value angle: Under 3.5 total goals — Sociedad’s home matches tend to be controlled affairs; Madrid can manage a lead without turning it into a shoot-out.


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