Verdict: Draw
Best odds: 23/10
Bookmaker: ZetBet
Real Sociedad will host Atletico Madrid at Estadio Anoeta on Saturday afternoon for a final-day La Liga match with no stakes involved.
With neither side able to change their league position, La Real aim to avenge their 2-1 loss to Los Colchoneros in the reverse fixture at the Wanda Metropolitano back in October last year, while Atletico seek merely to maintain a their fine record away to Sociedad.
Real Sociedad
After securing a top-four finish and qualifying for the Champions League last season for the first time in a decade, Real Sociedad will have to come to terms with finishing in sixth place in La Liga this term and will subsequently play Europa League football in 2024/25.
The San Sebastian-based outfit have won 16, drawn 12, and lost nine of their 37 league fixtures, collecting nine points from their last 15 available. They only dropped points in defeats to champions Real Madrid (1-0) and runners-up Barcelona (2-0) during this run, beating Las Palmas, Valencia and Real Betis.
Imanol Alguacil’s side have won their last two games without conceding a goal, following a narrow 1-0 home victory over Valencia with a 2-0 success at seventh-placed Betis last weekend, thanks to first-half strikes from Brais Mendez and Mikel Merino. That victory guaranteed a top-six finish for Sociedad, but they cannot climb higher after Athletic Bilbao’s win over Sevilla secured fifth spot for the Basque rivals.
Sociedad, who have picked up exactly 30 points both home and away this season, will look to end the season on a high in front of their fans against an Atletico Madrid side they have failed to beat in their last eight league meetings.
Team News
Real Sociedad will be without Robin Le Normand and Igor Zubeldia (both muscle injuries), as well as Aihen Muñoz and Carlos Fernández (both knee injuries). Martin Zubimendi (muscle) will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Alguacil may rotate his side in a few positions, with Alvaro Odriozola, Ander Barrenetxea, Takefusa Kubo, and Andre Silva all hoping to force their way back into the starting XI after beginning as substitutes last weekend.
Top scorer Mikel Oyarzabal will be looking to add to his 14 goals in all competitions, although his record against Atletico is modest, having found the net just once in his last 11 meetings with the Rojiblancos.
Atletico Madrid
Having finished inside the top three for the past 11 seasons, Atletico Madrid will end outside that region in La Liga after a heavy 4-1 defeat to Osasuna in their final home fixture of the season last weekend, with Girona taking their spot behind Real and Barcelona after a fantastic campaign of their own.
Los Colchoneros had won each of their previous four league games before their encounter with Osasuna, but a brace from Raul Garcia, along with goals from Aimar Oroz and Lucas Torro, condemned the hosts to their 10th top-flight loss of the campaign—three more than in the 2022/23 season.
Atletico’s defeat to Osasuna surprised many, as they had only lost one of their previous 18 La Liga matches at the Metropolitano. Only Real Madrid (50) have accumulated more points at home than Atletico (49) this term.
Despite the setback, Diego Simeone’s side are guaranteed a top-four finish and will qualify for next season’s Champions League, sitting eight points clear of Athletic Bilbao in fifth. However, they cannot catch up to Girona in third, who are five points ahead.
Atletico have secured less than 33% of their La Liga points away from home this season, but they remain optimistic about Saturday’s match, having avoided defeat in four of their last five visits to Real Sociedad, including each of the last three. Los Colchoneros could avoid defeat in four successive league trips to Estadio Anoeta for the second time this century, following a run of four wins between 2010 and 2013.
Team News
Vitolo (knee), Nahuel Molina (hamstring), and Pablo Barrios (muscle) remain sidelined due to injuries, while Stefan Savic is doubtful with a knock.
The season is already over for Gabriel Paulista who is forced to miss this trip through yellow card accumulation, but Axel Witsel and Jose Gimenez are available to return after serving their one-match bans and could be recalled in defence alongside Mario Hermoso.
Memphis Depay, Saul Niguez, Angel Correa, and Alvaro Morata are among several Atletico players linked with potential summer exits and could make their final appearance for the club on Saturday.
Conclusion
Both teams will seek to end the season on a high, even though the points on offer won’t mean practically anything for either. Despite Atletico doing very well against Sociedad in their recent encounters, the teams appear matched relatively evenly, and a draw seems very likely.
Verdict: Draw
Best odds: 23/10
Bookmaker: ZetBet
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