🔊 Will Carlo Ancelotti's final match at the helm of the "Los Blancos" end in victory? This coming Saturday, the Santiago Bernabéu will be packed to witness the Italian manager's swan song with Real Madrid. Their opponents will be Imanol Alguacil's squad. With neither team having any standings-driven motivation, there is room for experimentation. Let's take a look at the bookmakers' early predictions for the match: a home win is at 1.43, while a victory for the visitors stands at 6.7.

Head-to-Head

📊 This season, the teams have faced off three times. The most memorable clash was their semi-final encounter in the Copa del Rey. On that occasion, Los Blancos secured a win at Reale Arena (1-0) and delivered a thrilling performance at the Santiago Bernabéu (4-4 AET). In the first round of La Liga, the Galacticos also triumphed in San Sebastián (2-0). Looking at the outcomes over their last 10 meetings, Real have claimed victory 6 times, with 3 draws and 1 win for Sociedad.

Real Madrid Team Overview

⚪ After their 4-3 defeat to Barcelona, the "Los Blancos" have bounced back with victories over Mallorca (2-1) and Sevilla (2-0). The capital club has secured the second spot in the league standings. The upcoming clash with Real Sociedad holds significant value as it marks the farewell of Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian manager will leave the team at the end of the season to take charge of Brazil's national squad. A grand ceremony is expected post-match, celebrating the 15 trophies won under "Papa Carlo's" leadership. It's worth noting that Real have been impeccable at home this La Liga season, amassing 46 points from 18 games, the best record in the league.

❗ Kylian Mbappe has been a pivotal player for Real this season. Despite a challenging start to his career in Madrid, the Frenchman has adapted and emerged as the main attacking threat. Currently, the 26-year-old leads La Liga's scoring charts with 29 goals. His personal xG stands at 27.56. Notably, Mbappe has logged 2,848 minutes on the pitch, second only to Federico Valverde's 2,945. The French striker has been named MVP in 14 La Liga matches this season.

Real Sociedad Team Overview

🔵 In the last round, Real Sociedad secured their first victory in seven matches with a 3-2 win over Girona. This season is rightly considered one of the worst in recent years for the "royals." For the first time since the 2018/19 campaign, the club from San Sebastián missed out on a spot in European competitions. Their low scoring rate is also telling, with only 0.95 goals per game (18th in the league). For comparison, last season they averaged 1.34 goals per match. Real Sociedad have also struggled away from home, collecting just 19 points from 18 games (10th in the league).

❗ Mikel Oyarzabal has been the main attacking force for Real Sociedad this season. The Spanish forward has scored 9 goals (with an xG of 10.3) and provided 3 assists (with an xA of 2.88). In the recent match against Girona (3-2), the 28-year-old was the standout performer, successfully converting a penalty and assisting Arkar Mariezcurrena's winning goal.

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Real Madrid

🎙 After their 2-0 victory over Sevilla in the last round, Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media: "It was a tough match due to the atmosphere, which led us to have a numerical advantage. It was also a very intense encounter. We wanted to win, and we managed to do so. We could have performed better, but after Mbappe's goal, we didn't need much more." He also had words for the young players: "Opportunities for young talents in the first team? They need to fight and dream—follow the example of Carvajal, Lucas, and Nacho. Asensio has shown himself well, and now Garcia, Munoz, and others can do the same. In any case, I think Raul has done a great job with Castilla's players this season. The reserve team had many injuries, but Raul managed to get the best out of the squad."

🎤 Jude Bellingham also shared his feelings: "I'm happy with the win over Sevilla, but at the same time, I'm very disappointed because we wanted to fight for the championship title until the end. Mbappe is an excellent player and person. It's a pleasure to play alongside Kylian on the same team. I hope he stays in Madrid for a long time."

📝 The transfer window isn't open yet, but Real Madrid continue to be active in the market. Following the signing of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Los Blancos have reached an agreement with Bournemouth for the transfer of Dean Huijsen. The club is also in advanced negotiations with Benfica for the acquisition of Spanish full-back Alvaro Carreras. Meanwhile, Lucas Vazquez, who has been with the club since 2007, will leave as a free agent after the 2025 Club World Cup.

❌ Jude Bellingham will miss the next match due to suspension. In the medical room, David Alaba, Raul Asensio, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Carvajal, Brahim Diaz, Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Rodrygo, Antonio Rudiger, and Vinicius Junior remain sidelined.

Real Sociedad

🎙 After the clash with Girona (3-2), the "Reale Arena" witnessed a vibrant farewell to Imanol Alguacil. The coach even received a gold award with diamonds from president Jokin Aperribay. The Spanish tactician had been at the helm of the "royals" since 2018 and led the club to a Copa del Rey triumph in the 2019/20 season. Here's what Alguacil said at the post-match press conference: "I'm not abandoning the ship. I'm leaving it in a safe harbor, fully stocked for sailing the vast seas. I'm stepping down because I've stopped winning."

📝 An intriguing transfer rumor involving Real Sociedad is the potential signing of Giovanni Reyna. The "royals" are actively exploring ways to persuade the American player to make the move to the "Reale Arena" next season. This season, the 22-year-old midfielder has scored 2 goals in the Bundesliga.

❌ Real Sociedad's injury list continues to include Nayef Aguerd (knee injury), Sheraldo Becker (knee injury), and Orri Óskarsson (hamstring injury).

🟨 Yellow Card Prediction

🟨 Yellow Card Prediction

The "Royals" tend to receive more cautions than the "Whites" this season, with an average of 2.4 compared to 1.5. In their head-to-head encounters, the pattern remains similar: 2.4 versus 2. In the first round of the current championship, Imanol Alguacil's squad significantly outperformed the "Galacticos" in this aspect, with a score of 4-1. We suggest considering the following bet – Real Sociedad to win on yellow cards.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Let's acknowledge the high-scoring nature of the encounters between the "Whites" and the "Royals," averaging 3.5 goals. The recent head-to-head clash at the "Santiago Bernabéu" stands out with a 4-4 draw after extra time. Additionally, in 4 out of Real Madrid's last 5 matches, there have been at least 3 goals scored. We recommend selecting the following outcome – total over 2.5 goals.

🚩 Corner Kick Prediction

Let's note the corner kick ratio in their head-to-head matchups: 6.5 to 4.8 in favor of the "Whites." This season, the capital club's players also approach the corner flag more frequently, averaging 6.3 compared to 5.7. The consistent threat from the "Galacticos'" wingers on the flanks is bound to impact this aspect of the game. Our editorial choice is – Real Madrid to win on corners with a handicap of (-1.5).

Madrid face a challenging squad situation, but their immense motivation should make up for it. Ancelotti's farewell should not be marred by a poor result. Real Sociedad will arrive in the capital without any tournament motivation, so backing Real Madrid to win with a handicap of (-1) seems reasonable.