Real Sociedad vs Manchester United
A familiar matchup beckons in the Europa League Round of 16, as Real Sociedad and Manchester United will face off again. The first leg will be held at the Reale Arena this Thursday evening, and the second will be at Old Trafford next week.
Real Sociedad have lost two consecutive games across all competitions this past week. Imanol Alguacil’s side lost narrowly to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals first leg last Thursday before suffering a 4-0 beatdown against Barcelona in La Liga last Sunday.
However, the one team that really needs a morale booster is Manchester United, as their 2024-25 campaign continues to go downhill. The Red Devils are no longer the reigning FA Cup champions after losing against Fulham in the fifth round yesterday.
A win for both teams should boost their confidence, and the pregame SBOTOP betting odds predict a close fight.
Talking Points
Fresh legs could help Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad missed some key players during their most recent defeat against Barcelona. Takefusa Kubo and Mikel Oyarzabal didn’t play against the Blaugrana, but if things go according to plan, they should be ready for the Manchester United game.
Kubo and Oyarzabal are La Real’s top scorers this season. Kubo leads the team with five league goals and can create numerous Europa League 2025 highlights. Oyarzabal has four league goals and two assists. Brais Mendez could also be an x-factor for La Real, as the attacking midfielder already has three league goals and one assist this season.
La Real lost handily to the Blaugrana, as they were reduced to 10 men early in the game, as centre-back Aritz Elustondo was given a straight red card for pulling down Dani Olmo. Imanol Alguacil’s side never stood a chance from there.
The good news for Real Sociedad is that Elustondo’s suspension does not apply in Europe, so he should be available against Manchester United. The 30-year-old defender will link up with Igor Zubeldia, Aihen Munoz, and Jon Aramburu to form their back four to cover goalkeeper Alex Remiro. Nayef Aguerd is another centre-half option.
Hojlund must end his Manchester United drought
Manchester United are not doing well this season, as their goals have dried up. The Red Devils seek solace in the Europa League, but their recent form doesn’t paint a positive picture. If Ruben Amorim’s men are going to make a deep run, they need to be clinical in the final third again.
Rasmus Hojlund has six goal involvements for Manchester United in Europe, but he has failed to score in his last 18 appearances across all competitions. Meanwhile, fellow striker Joshua Zirkzee has only scored once in his last 16 appearances, although his work rate has improved.
The Red Devils have been over-reliant on Bruno Fernandes, who has scored two goals in his last three appearances, and that may be the case again this Thursday.
History
Real Sociedad and Manchester United last faced off in the Europa League group stage in the 2022-23 campaign, and both teams split their two meetings.
La Real qualified for the Round of 16 after finishing on top of Group E, while the Red Devils had to go through the Round of 32 before making it to the Round of 16. Real Sociedad lost to AS Roma in the Round of 16, while Manchester United reached the quarter-finals. The Red Devils eventually lost to Sevilla, who eventually won it all.
La Real have never beaten an English side on home soil in Europe (D1, L3), and they failed to score in their last three away games against the Red Devils. Meanwhile, Manchester United have lost just one of their last eight away games against Spanish sides in Europe (W5, D2).
Betting Tip
The Europa League 2025 odds expect the match between Real Sociedad and Manchester United to be highly contested, with the hosts likely to win by a narrow margin. Real Sociedad are pegged to win at 2.12, while Manchester United are at 3.16, and a draw is priced at 2.99 in the 1X2 market. Real Sociedad cannot afford to be complacent even if they win, as the first leg will likely be decided by one goal. Besides our recommended bet, bettors can also go for alternatives like Under 2.00 at 2.42, Under 2.25 at 1.98, Under 2.50 at 1.73, or even Total Goal 0-1 at 2.74. Furthermore, a Correct Score of 1-0 in favour of the Red Devils – the result of their most recent European clash – has a generous 9.00 offer.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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