Real Madrid - Real Sociedad Preview Match

After dropping four points in the space of four days, the league leaders vie to bounce back against the Basque outfit at the Santiago Bernabeu without the suspended Jose Mourinho

March 24, 2012 7:00 PM GMT
Estadio Santiago Bernabéu — Madrid

Team News

Real Madrid

Real Madrid dropped another two points in the race for the title as they conceded from another late free-kick to draw 1-1 at Villarreal.

The Yellow Submarine's equaliser also sparked a loss of discipline from the league leaders who subsequently had Sergio Ramos and Mesut Özil sent-off so they will miss out on this occasion.

Lass Diarra is also suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards and Pepe could yet be unavailable as well after he was reported for abusing the referee in the tunnel after the game.

José Callejón is a doubt after he had to be replaced at half-time at El Madrigal but Fabio Coentrao could return despite being left out of the squad last time out for disciplinary reasons.

probable lineups : Cassilas, Marcelo, Pepe, Varane, Arbeola, Khedira, Alonso, Granero, Kaka, Ronaldo, Higuain. (4-3-2-1).

 

21 Mar 2012	Villarreal 1 - Real Madrid 1
18 Mar 2012	Real Madrid 1 - Málaga 1
14 Mar 2012	Real Madrid 4 - CSKA Moscow 1
10 Mar 2012	Betis 2 - Real Madrid 3
4 Mar 2012	Real Madrid 5 - Espanyol 0

Real Sociedad

Real Sociedad slipped to their second consecutive defeat as Levante became only the fourth side all season to win at Anoeta on Wednesday. The Basque side's task wasn't made any easier by the loss of Gorka Elustondo to a second yellow card early in the second-half so he and Dani Estrada will miss the trip to the Bernabéu through suspension.

 

Estrada's absence in particular causes Philippe Montanier problems as with first-choice right-back Carlos Martínez still recovering from injury he may have to use one of his centre-backs on the right side of defence.

 

Antoine Griezmann does though return from suspension and Montanier is expected to move Carlos Vela back into the lone striker role to accommodate the Frenchman. 

probable lineups : Bravo, Gonzalez, Demidov, Martinez, Cadamuro, Illarramendi, Aranburu, Prieto, Zurutuza, Griezmann, Vela. (4-2-3-1).  

 

21 Mar 2012	Real Sociedad 1 - Levante UD 3
17 Mar 2012	Getafe 1 - Real Sociedad 0
10 Mar 2012	Real Sociedad 3 - Zaragoza 0
4 Mar 2012	Athletic de Bilbao 2 - Real Sociedad 0
26 Feb 2012	Real Sociedad 1 - Mallorca 0

 

Head to Head 

La Liga ‎(LIGA)‎	29 Oct 2011	Real Sociedad 0 - Real Madrid 1
La Liga ‎(LIGA)‎	6 Feb 2011	Real Madrid 4 - Real Sociedad 1
La Liga ‎(LIGA)‎	18 Sep 2010	Real Sociedad 1 - Real Madrid 2
Club Friendlies ‎(FR)‎	15 Aug 2009	Real Sociedad 0 - Real Madrid 2
La Liga ‎(LIGA)‎	10 Feb 2007	Real Sociedad 1 - Real Madrid 2

 

Prediction 

The host's large number of absentees could make this a more difficult match than it ought to be, but Madrid should still have more than enough firepower to see off a Sociedad side that have lost their last four away games.

Jose Mourinho's men will also be looking to kill the game off early with Champions Leauge commitments against APOEL coming up in midweek.

To round off a poor week, Cristiano Ronaldo was also overtaken by Lionel Messi in the battle to be the league's top-scorer and the Portuguese will be looking to regain the lead in the Pichichi on home soil.

Real Madrid  3 - 0  Real Sociedad