Real Sociedad will be bidding to make it three straight victories in Spain's top flight when they resume their campaign away to Basque rivals Alaves on Sunday evening.
The visitors are currently sixth in the La Liga table, four points ahead of seventh-placed Real Betis, while Alaves are 13th, 10 points ahead of the relegation zone with nine games left.
Match preview
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Alaves secured promotion back to La Liga through last season's Segunda Division playoffs, so any spot above 18th this term would be considered a successful campaign for the Basque side.
The Blue and Whites have certainly performed above expectations in 2023-24, boasting a record of eight wins, eight draws and 13 defeats from 29 matches to collect 32 points, which has left them 13th in the table.
Luis Garcia's side are 10 points above the relegation zone, so they are very much on course to secure another season at this level of football, but the team have only managed to win one of their last seven games.
Alaves beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in their last match in front of their own fans on March 10, but they entered the international break off the back of a 2-0 defeat to Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao.
El Glorioso have not beaten Real Sociedad in Spain's top flight since June 2020, but the points were shared in a 1-1 draw when the two teams locked horns for the reverse match earlier this season.
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Real Sociedad, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 2-0 victory over Cadiz, with Mikel Merino and Arsen Zakharyan on the scoresheet in the contest in San Sebastian.
Imanol Alguacil's side lost six of their seven matches in all competitions between February 10 and March 5, which saw them exit both the Copa del Rey and Champions League, while they also lost three times in La Liga during the disappointing run of form.
Real Sociedad have managed to triumph in their last two league games against Granada and Cadiz, though, and they have regained sixth position in the table, sitting four points above seventh-placed Real Betis.
The White and Blues are currently in a European position, but they are not in a top-four race, sitting nine points behind fifth-placed Atletico Madrid and 10 behind Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao in fourth.
Real Sociedad have the fourth-best away record in La Liga this season, picking up 23 points from their 15 matches on their travels, while Alaves have secured 21 points from their 14 games on home soil.
Team News
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Alaves will again be without the services of Aleksandar Sedlar due to a long-term knee injury, while Adrian Rodriguez remains a fitness doubt for the home side.
Head coach Garcia is unlikely to make many changes from the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Athletic before the international break.
The same XI could in fact continue, with Samu Omorodion again leading the line, and Carlos Vicente operating off the left, although Giuliano Simeone is pushing to be included in the starting side.
As for Real Sociedad, Igor Zubeldia and Martin Merquelanz are out of the match due to injury, while Ander Barrenetxea and Carlos Fernandez will face late fitness tests.
The visitors will also have to work around the absence of key central defender Robin Le Normand, who is suspended due to the milestone yellow card that he picked up against Cadiz last time out.
Head coach Alguacil could make three changes to the side that took to the field for their last match before the international break, with Kieran Tierney and Aritz Elustondo in line to feature at the back, while Zakharyan could replace Sheraldo Becker in the final third of the field.
Alaves possible starting lineup:
Sivera; Gorosabel, Abqar, Marin, J Lopez; Blanco, Guevara; Rioja, Guridi, Vicente; Omorodion
Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Traore, Zubeldia, Elustondo, Tierney; Mendez, Zubimendi, Merino; Kubo, Oyarzabal, Zakharyan
We say: Alaves 1-2 Real Sociedad
Alaves have impressed this season, and they are more than capable of picking up a positive result on Sunday evening against a Real Sociedad outfit that have had their problems of late. The visitors have won their last two, though, and we are expecting a third straight success for Alguacil's side this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
