For Real Sociedad, this is their worst season since 2006, when the club was relegated, and now the team welcomes RCD Mallorca to the Estadio Municipal de Anoeta on Wednesday evening. Both teams are in a precarious situation: The Basques are in 18th place in the table, Mallorca one place below, both with only two points from five games. Sergio Francisco, in office since July, is facing growing pressure after the recent 1-3 defeat in Seville. What is particularly frustrating is that the team is creating chances, having created almost 75 scoring opportunities in five games, but has only scored five goals. Mallorca are coming off a late 1-1 draw against Atlético Madrid, with Vedat Muriqi scoring the equalizer in the 85th minute. Jagoba Arrasate knows Basque soccer very well from his time in the region, which could be an advantage when it comes to understanding the home side’s approach. The head-to-head record favors Mallorca, who have won three of the last five meetings. The Balearic Islands won 2-0 in the last meeting at Anoeta in April.
- Venue: Estadio Municipal de Anoeta, Donostia-San Sebastián
- Date and time: 24.09.2025, 21:30
- Competition: Primera División (Matchday 6)
Real Sociedad Form & Record Check
Real Sociedad are in a worrying crisis that has worsened in recent weeks. After their latest 1-3 defeat at Betis, the Basques have now gone five league games without a win. This is their longest winless streak since 2006, a year that ended in relegation.
What is particularly frustrating is the nature of their performances. Under new coach Sergio Francisco, the team is certainly creating chances, with almost 75 opportunities in five games speaking for themselves. But finishing remains the big problem: only five goals have been scored, despite 25 shots on goal. Players such as Oyarzabal and Barrenetxea have already had ten attempts each without finding the back of the net.
The defense is also causing headaches. Nine goals conceded in five games is a poor record, especially as the team has conceded at least one goal in all five games. In their most recent appearance in Seville, goalkeeper Remiro made a costly own goal that led to the 1-3 turnaround. Brais Méndez had previously equalized with a spectacular goal.
To make matters worse, the personnel situation in defense is tense. Aritz Elustondo returned from Seville with rib problems and could be out for several weeks. Jon Martín is with the U20 national team, so Francisco can mainly rely on Zubeldia and Caleta-Car, who has been less than convincing so far. With only a two-point lead over Mallorca, the situation is precarious, especially as tomorrow’s opponents are level on points at the bottom of the table.
Real Sociedad are likely to line up in their usual 4-1-4-1 formation, although Sergio Francisco will have to improvise in defense given the tense personnel situation. Aritz Elustondo is out with a possible rib injury, while Jon Martín is away with the U20 national team at the World Cup. That leaves only Zubeldia and Caleta-Car as central defenders.
Remiro is likely to start in goal, with a back four of Aramburu, Zubeldia, Caleta-Car, and Sergio Gómez in front of him. Gorrotxategi could play as a defensive midfielder, while Kubo, Brais Méndez, Pablo Marín, and Barrenetxea will take on the attacking midfield roles. Oyarzabal will likely play as the lone striker again after Óskarsson was ruled out with injury.
Mallorca Form & Record Check
RCD Mallorca is in a persistent crisis, which is reflected in its recent results. The record from the last five league games is sobering: not a single win, only two draws and three defeats. The defensive vulnerability is particularly striking, as the team conceded goals in all five games.
However, Saturday’s draw against Atlético Madrid shows light at the end of the tunnel. After Muriqi equalized in the 85th minute to make it 1-1, Mallorca showed morale despite the difficult situation. The Kosovar took advantage of a cross from Jan Virgili, the new signing from Barcelona’s youth team, and once again demonstrated his qualities in front of goal.
The statistics from recent weeks reveal a worrying pattern. Mallorca have lost four of their last five games in the first half, which points to a lack of intensity early on. Jagoba Arrasate’s team often fight their way back into the game after the break, but have conceded at least one goal in each of their last five games.
They are only one point behind the safety zone, but a turnaround is needed quickly. The goalless streak in the first half and the constant goals conceded clearly show where Arrasate needs to start.
Coach Jagoba Arrasate is likely to stick with his tried-and-tested 5-3-2 formation, which has served his team well this season. In defense, the back three of Valjent, Raíllo, and Kumbulla is expected to start, flanked by Morey and Mojica as full-backs.
In midfield, the trio of Samú Costa, Morlanes, and Darder could provide stability and creativity. Up front, Muriqi is likely to start after his important equalizer against Atlético Madrid, supported by Asano, who can cause danger with his pace. Román is expected to start in goal after recently saving a penalty from Álvarez.
H2H Real Sociedad – Mallorca Head-to-head comparison & statistics
The recent history between Real Sociedad and Mallorca speaks for itself: the Balearic Islands have won both of their last two league games. In April of this year, Mallorca won 2-0 at Anoeta, and in September 2024, the team narrowly won 1-0 at home.
The 2024 Copa del Rey semifinal encounter is particularly interesting. After a goalless draw in the first leg in Mallorca, the second leg in San Sebastián ended 1-1 after extra time. In the end, the penalty shootout was decided 5-4 in favor of the visitors, who thus advanced to the final.
The statistics show a striking pattern: four of the last five encounters were goalless at halftime. This series of three consecutive goalless first halves could indicate that both teams are feeling each other out before making any decisions.
There is also restraint when it comes to total goals. In the last five encounters, there have never been more than three goals per game. Mallorca proved to be the more efficient team, scoring in four of the five games, while Real Sociedad more often failed to find the net.
The tip “Both teams to score: Yes” at odds of 1.9 seems almost like a gift from the bookmakers, considering that neither La Real nor the islanders have a clean sheet to their name. Sociedad continues to create countless chances through the interplay of Kubo, Barrenetxea, and Oyarzabal, but regularly fails to convert them, while Mallorca’s aerial superiority through Muriqi recently secured a late equalizer against Atlético Madrid.
Interestingly, the betting market favors Real Sociedad at 1.8, even though the home team’s defense is further weakened by Elustondo’s possible absence. The recommendation of “Over 2.5 goals” at 2.17 reflects the statistical reality: Mallorca’s five games so far have produced an average of 3.2 goals, and when you consider Sociedad’s 75 chances created with only five goals scored, the law of large numbers seems to favor greater efficiency. The most daring tip is for “Over 1.5 goals – 1st half,” supported by the fact that both teams have already conceded eight goals in the first half. At odds of 3.25, this is certainly an attractive proposition, especially as Mallorca have been behind at half-time in four consecutive games and Sociedad’s right side of defense appears particularly vulnerable without Elustondo.
