Real Sociedad vs Levante Predictions, Team News and Betting Tips

Real Sociedad welcome Levante to the Anoeta Stadium on Sunday 25 October, with kick-off at 17:30 UK. The hosts arrive 5th in La Liga with 16 points from nine games, and they have just put six past Lillestrøm in the Europa League. Levante are 11th on 10 points and come off a 3-1 win over Athletic Club in midweek. Both sides score and concede freely, so goals at both ends look likely.

How the teams arrive

Real Sociedad have won six of their last ten in all competitions and lost none of the last five: a 3-2 win at Valencia on 20 September, a 3-2 home win over Deportivo, a draw at Union SG, a 5-2 win at Málaga and then 6-0 at Lillestrøm. That is 18 goals in their last five.

In La Liga they average 1.89 goals a game, the 4th most in the division, and they hit 5.44 shots on target per game, the 6th most. Their games are open: both teams have scored in 67% of their matches, the 4th highest, and 78% of their games have gone over 2.5 goals, the 2nd highest. They also take 7.00 corners a game, the 3rd most. At the back they concede 1.89 a game and keep a clean sheet only 11% of the time, the 6th lowest rate.

Levante are 11th, with two wins, four draws and three defeats from nine. They are unbeaten in their last three, a 3-3 draw with Sevilla, a 1-1 draw at Deportivo and Wednesday's 3-1 win over Athletic Club, after losing 2-4 to Barcelona and 3-1 at Villarreal. They score 1.67 a game, the 6th most in the league, and they also concede 1.89. Their both-teams-to-score rate is 67%, the same as Sociedad's.

Levante win just 3.44 corners a game, the 4th fewest, and commit 10.22 fouls, also the 4th fewest. They are carded 1.44 times a game, the 2nd fewest. Sociedad average 12.11 fouls and 2.44 cards.

Predicted lineups

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Fort, Martín, Sarr, Gómez; Turrientes, Soler; Barrenetxea, Oyarzabal, Kubo; Óskarsson

Levante possible starting lineup:
Ryan; Toljan, Mandi, Ndukwe, Sánchez; Requena, Rey, Olasagasti; García, Brugué; Romero

Players to watch

Ander Barrenetxea has had a shot in six straight games and is 1.10 at bet365 to make it seven.

Carlos Soler has had at least one shot in each of his last four league games, averaging 1.8 a game, and bet365 have him at 1.20. Sergio Gómez has made at least one tackle in all nine of Sociedad's league games, averaging 1.9 per game.

For Levante, Iván Romero has put a shot on target in four of his last five, and he is 1.73 at bet365 to do it again. Manu Sánchez has made a tackle in all nine games and averages 3.9 a game.

Match Leaders

Odds and Statz prediction

We back Real Sociedad at 1.65 with Ladbrokes. Our model gives them a 57% chance of the win, with the draw at 22% and a Levante win at 21%.

We project 2.17 goals for Sociedad and 1.28 for Levante, with 17 shots from the hosts to Levante's 11. Our prediction is a 2-1 home win, with both teams scoring. A 1-1 draw is almost as likely at 9.5%, though we still make Sociedad 57% to win. After those, 2-0 (7.5%) and 3-1 (6.9%) are the likeliest scores.

Among the player markets, Beñat Turrientes has had a shot in four of his last five and is 1.17 at bet365. Orri Óskarsson has put a shot on target in four of his last five and is 1.22 with bet365.