Real Sociedad – Espanyol
Espanyol’s spectacular comeback against Atlético Madrid adds extra spice to Sunday’s clash at the Reale Arena. While the Catalans are sitting pretty in seventh place with three points after their 2-1 win over the Colchoneros, Real Sociedad are still waiting for their first win of the season under new coach Sergio Francisco. After a 1-1 draw in Valencia, the team from San Sebastián are only in 12th place, despite dominating large parts of the game.
The clash is made even more interesting by the presence of Urko González de Zárate. The midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Espanyol, has only played ten minutes for Real Sociedad so far. Coach Sergio Francisco has hinted that he is counting on the player without giving any guarantees, while the Catalans are hoping for the return of their defensive strategist.
The head-to-head record speaks for itself: Real Sociedad have won all five of their most recent encounters, most recently 2-1 in February. Espanyol will be looking to break this negative streak and carry the euphoria from the first matchday into the Basque stronghold.
- Venue: Reale Arena, Donostia-San Sebastián
- Date and time: 24.08.2025, 19:30
- Competition: Primera División (Matchday 2)
Real Sociedad form & record check
Real Sociedad is currently going through a period of upheaval, which is also reflected in its mixed form. With just one win from its last five games and a sobering 12th place in the table after its opening draw against Valencia, the team is facing some important decisions.
The 1-1 draw at Mestalla revealed both light and shadow under Sergio Francisco. The Txuri Urdin dominated for long periods, but squandered clear chances and were briefly thrown off their stride after Diego López’s opening goal. At least Kubo showed his class with a fine equaliser, assisted by Brais Méndez.
The Donostiarras’ defensive vulnerability is worrying. They have conceded at least one goal in each of their last five games, which has become a persistent pattern. Particularly problematic is the fact that they have fallen behind at half-time in four of their last five games.
The return of Jon Gorrotxategi after recovering from ankle problems could give the midfield more stability. His weeks-long absence forced Beñat Turrientes into the role of defensive midfielder, where he performed solidly but does not offer the defensive security of Gorrotxategi.
Real Sociedad are likely to line up in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, which Sergio Francisco also preferred against Valencia. The return of Gorrotxategi from his ankle injury gives the coach new options in central midfield, where Turrientes has been impressive recently. The decision on the double six will be interesting, as Turrientes has put himself in a good position after his strong performance at Mestalla, while Gorrotxategi, who is fit again, is fighting for his place. In attack, Kubo could be given another chance after his impressive goal.
Espanyol Form & Record Check
Espanyol travels to San Sebastián on the back of a remarkable run of five games without a draw. In the past 90 days, the Catalans have shown a clear tendency: either win or lose, draws are not an option.
The season opener against Atlético Madrid was a prime example of the mentality under Manolo González. After trailing at halftime, Espanyol completely turned the game around in the closing stages with goals from Miguel Rubio and Pere Milla. This comeback quality could well become a trademark of the new season, but the first half also revealed weaknesses in the early stages.
The pattern of recent games is interesting: Espanyol have scored in 80% of their games in the second half, but have failed to score before the break in any of their last five games. This late striking power, combined with a weak first half, makes the team difficult to predict. However, the defense has conceded goals in four of the last five games.
Espanyol are currently seventh in the table, level on points with Real Madrid and Athletic Club. Only goal difference separates the teams at the moment, which shows how close it is at the top of the table.
Coach Manolo González is likely to field his team in the usual 4-2-3-1 formation. Dmitrovic is expected to start in goal, while the defensive line could consist of El Hilali, Calero, Cabrera, and Carlos Romero. Of interest is the return of Luca Koleosho, who has been loaned from Burnley and could make his first start.
Pol Lozano and Edu Expósito are predicted to play in midfield, with Jofre Carreras, Terrats and Javi Puado behind them in an attacking trio. Roberto Fernández will probably lead the line. This line-up would give the team stability, even if the squad is not yet complete, as the club’s management continues to look for reinforcements.
H2H Real Sociedad – Espanyol Head-to-Head & Statistics
The recent record between Real Sociedad and Espanyol could hardly be clearer. In the last five meetings since 2022, the Basques have won every single game. The last meeting in February 2025 ended in a 2-1 home win for Real Sociedad.
Four of the five games ended with only one goal difference, with only the 3-2 win in Barcelona in February 2023 producing more goals. The Basques seem to have found a winning formula against Espanyol. Real Sociedad’s accuracy in front of goal has been particularly striking in this series: they have scored at least one goal in all five encounters, while Espanyol have only found the net in three games. The first half has usually been quieter, with no more than one goal scored in four of the five games.
This record presents a real challenge for Espanyol. The Catalans need to break a five-game curse if they want to survive at the Reale Arena. Real Sociedad, on the other hand, should go into this match with confidence.
Real Sociedad has conceded goals in all of its recent matches, while Espanyol has also failed to keep a clean sheet in 80% of its games. Sergio Francisco’s new defense is still finding its feet after Zubimendi’s departure to Arsenal, while Kubo and Pere Milla are capable of creating goals at the other end. The tip “Under 1.5 goals – 1st half” is based on Espanyol’s remarkably poor performance before the break, where the team has not scored once in the last five games before the half-time whistle. Real Sociedad also tends to be cautious in the early stages, which makes this odds of 3.4 for a low-scoring first half attractive. As a riskier option, we recommend “Over 1.5 goals – 2nd half,” supported by Espanyol’s statistic of 80% of games with more than 1.5 goals after the break. The high odds reflect the risk, but both teams will have to be more courageous after the break.
