With the schedule of the seventeenth round divided by five days, the Spanish Championship has this Wednesday, December 20, the duel involving Real Sociedad and Seville as its main attraction. The game, scheduled to start at 18:30 CET, will be held at the Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian.
The recent performance of Real SociedadThe home owners will enter the field pressured by a fast of victories that already lasts six matches (two draws and four defeats). The sequence of failures is aggravated by the vexatious elimination in the Copa del Rey of Spain. Acting in San Sebastian, Real Sociedad was defeated by the Leida, of the Third Division, by 3 to 2.
In the Spanish league, the team completed two games without scoring a goal on Saturday, December 16, when they drew with Athletic Bilbao in their opponents’ stadium. He has accumulated 20 points (five wins, five draws and six losses). It occupies the eleventh position with four points less in comparison with Villarreal, sixth place, which closes the zone of classification for European tournaments.
The crisis is not only greater thanks to the participation of Real in the current edition of the Europa League. The team managed to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament by taking second place in their group. The dispute will only be resumed in February. His rival will be Salzburg, Austria.
Until then, coach Eusebio Sacristan will have time to try to improve the performance of the team, which has had huge problems to assert the field command. With nine points (two wins, three draws and three losses) added to the 24 played in this situation appears as the fifth worst setter of La Liga.
To face Sevilla, the coach may not be able to count on Portuguese midfielder Kevin Rodrigues (12 games in the 2017/2018 Spanish Championship, one goal). An injury took him from the last two games. It will have to be submitted to a new examination to see if it will be able to act on Wednesday. Also in the ward is the striker Imanol Agirretxe (three games, no goal). In this case, however, the importance of the athlete, who is only option in the reserve bench, is smaller.
The current form of Seville
Sevilla fans have also had their share of disappointments in recent games. On Friday, December 15, at home, the team were unable to leave the 0-0 with Levante raising to three the series without successes (two draws and a loss).
His status in the standings, however, is far better than that of Real Sociedad. With 29 points (nine wins, two draws and five losses) Sevilla are fifth in the Europa League standings, but out of the group that could play in the next edition of the Champions League. This block is closed by Real Madrid, which has two more points and a match held less.
To try to get into this group Sevilla need to improve their performance as a visitor. In the last five matches away from their dominions, the team suffered four defeats. With nine points (three wins and five losses), it appears only as the ninth best in this area.
To face Real Sociedad, Argentine coach Eduardo Berizzo has limitations imposed by injury. Defenders Daniel Carriço (three matches in the Spanish 2017/2018 Championship, without a goal), Clément Lenglet (15 matches, two goals) and Nicolas Pareja (two matches, without a goal) are under treatment; and midfielder Walter Montoya (a game, no goal).
History of the matches between Real Sociedad and Sevilla
After losing three straight to Sevilla, Sevilla managed to beat Real Sociedad 4-0 in the first round of the 2016/2017 Spanish Championship. In the second inning, at home, was in the tie by 1 to 1.
Real Sociedad has the second worst defensive system among the top 11 placed LaLiga. The team was leaked 28 times in 16 matches. Sevilla have a solid defense, which took 19 goals. However, the attack does not show numbers that can be considered good. With 19 goals scored is the second worst in this team.
This indicates the draw as a good guessing option for Wednesday’s showdown. It has a price of 3.70 in Rivalo. Victory of home owners pays 2.25 and successful visitor triples investment.
DRAW @ 3.70