Thursday’s Europa League schedule includes a match between RB Leipzig and Real Sociedad. The two teams are meeting for the chance to reach the Europa League Round of 16. Neither team is in the title race in their respective domestic leagues, so making a deep run in a European competition might be their only chance to make some noise during the latter part of the season.
Leipzig vs Real Sociedad Stats
Looking at the Real Sociedad Stats
Real Sociedad currently sits sixth in La Liga, 16 points behind the leader. However, the White and Blues are just one point behind fourth-place Barcelona for the final Champions League spot. They are also coming off a win over Granada to snap a three-match winless streak.
Thus far, it’s been all defense and no offense for the White and Blues during their domestic season. Their 24 goals in 23 La Liga matches is shockingly low for a team that’s in the race for a top-4 spot. Mikel Oyarzabal has been a reliable talisman with eight goals, but as a team, Real Sociedad just isn’t creating enough scoring chances.
On the bright side, Sociedad has allowed the third-fewest goals in La Liga. In fact, they have kept a clean sheet in five of their last six matches. Of course, there is also a 4-0 loss to Real Betis during that stretch.
Looking at the RB Leipzig Stats
RB Leipzig got off to a horrible start this season, ultimately costing Jesse Marsch his job. But new skipper Domenico Tedesco seems to have weathered the storm. The Red Bulls have won four of their last five Bundesliga matches, putting them in a four-way tie for fourth place.
During that five-game stretch, Leipzig has scored 13 points, as the attack has hit its stride. Christopher Nkunku is finally living up to his potential, scoring 11 goals and contributing seven assists in 22 league matches. Andre Silva has also scored nine goals, giving the Red Bulls two quality goal scorers to finish off chances created by a talented midfield.
Leipzig’s defense record has also improved under Tedesco. The Red Bulls have kept two clean sheets in their last four Bundesliga games. They rank fourth in the Bundesliga in goals allowed with things finally settling down after some key personnel losses over the summer.
Betting Trends for Leipzig vs Real Sociedad
- Real Sociedad has kept a clean sheet in five of its last six matches across all competitions.
- RB Leipzig has four wins in its last five Bundesliga matches.
- Real Sociedad has been held scoreless in three of their last four matches across all competitions.
- RB Leipzig has allowed three goals in its last five matches across all competitions.
Leipzig vs Real Sociedad Prediction
With Leipzig in good form and at home in this match, they are the obvious favorites with sportsbooks listing their moneyline around -115 compared to Sociedad’s moneyline of +310. There is also a moneyline of +260 for a draw.
Real Sociedad’s defensive record indicates that this will be a low-scoring game, so there is value in a draw. However, given Leipzig’s recent form, especially on the attacking end, it’ll be tough to hold the Red Bulls scoreless for 90 minutes. The safe approach in this game is to be on RB Leipzig to win.
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