Real Madrid will look to take a step towards the Copa del Rey final with a win over Real Sociedad in the first leg of the semi-final.
Real Sociedad, who are pushing for their fourth Copa del Rey title, will host La Liga giants Real Madrid at the Reale Arena on Wednesday for the first leg of their semi-final clash on Wednesday night.
The home team have been a touch inconsistent in the Premier League as they find themselves ninth on the points table. Overall, they have done a decent job and now have the opportunity to book a place in the final of the Copa del Rey.
Real Sociedad defeated Osasuna 2-0 in the quarter-finals and are heading into this fixture on the back of a 3-0 win over CD Leganes. La Real will certainly be confident of getting the desired result at home.
Real Madrid have not really been at their best this season, but they are still in the race for all major titles. Los Blancos are level on points with league leaders Barcelona and have also made it to the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
The Merengues secured an emphatic 3-2 win over Leganes to make it this far in the competition. It was not the easiest of games for them, but they did get the job done. Carlo Ancelotti’s men are heading into this fixture on the back of a 2-0 win over Girona, and they will certainly be favourites to win this tie. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Real Sociedad
Nayef Aguerd has joined Hamari Traore, Luka Sucic, and Jon Pacheco on the sidelines. Arsen Zakharyan is a doubt after he was subbed off at half-time in his very first start in an injury-hit season. Real Sociedad do have a boost ahead of this fixture as Igor Zubeldia and Sheraldo Becker are both back available after being suspended in their last outing.
The home team will line up in a 4-1-4-1 formation, where Alex Remiro will be in goal. Jon Aramburu and Javi Lopez will feature as the full-backs, while Igor Zubeldia and Aritz Elustondo will feature in the heart of the defence.
Martin Zubimendi will be the defensive midfielder, and he will look to shield the backline. Takefusa Kubo and Sergio Gomez will feature out wide on the flanks in the centre of the park.
Jon Ander Olasagasti and Pablo Marin will feature in a more central role. They will look to ensure Real Madrid midfielders do not dominate the proceedings. Mikel Oyarzabal will lead the line for Real Sociedad against Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Remiro; Aramburu, Zubeldia, Elustondo, Lopez; Zubimendi; Kubo, Olasagasti, Marin, Gomez; Oyarzabal
Real Madrid
Jude Bellingham, who is serving a two-match suspension in La Liga, should feature in the starting eleven here. Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal remain on the sidelines, but everyone else is expected to be available.
Carlo Ancelotti will go ahead with the 4-4-2 formation that he has deployed of late. Andriy Lunin has started their cup fixtures, and he should continue to take charge in goal here. Lucas Vazquez and Fran Garcia should be the full-backs, while Raul Asencio will partner with Antonio Rudiger in the heart of the defence.
Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham will feature on the flanks in the centre of the park, while Dani Ceballos and Aurelien Tchouameni will take charge in a more central role. They will look to control the tempo and ensure they dominate the proceedings. Vinicius Junior will pair up with Kylian Mbappe in the strike partnership.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Lunin; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Garcia; Rodrygo, Ceballos, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Vinicius, Mbappe
Key Stats
- Real Madrid have won their last three games against Real Sociedad, including the 2-0 win in La Liga back in September.
- Real Sociedad have won 11 out of their last 13 games at the Reale Arena.
- Real Madrid are pushing for their 21st Copa del Rey title.
- The home team last won the Copa del Rey in the 2019/20 season, and they will be pushing for their fourth title.
- Carlo Ancelotti’s team are unbeaten in their last five matches heading into this fixture.
Player to Watch
Dani Ceballos
Injuries to key players have given Ceballos an extended run in the team, and he has certainly made the most out of it. The former Real Betis midfielder has been involved in a total of 29 matches, and he has contributed towards two goals. The Spanish international has in a way helped Real Madrid cope with the absence of Toni Kroos. Ceballos is expected to start here, and he could have a big say in the end result.
Prediction
Real Sociedad 0-2 Real Madrid
Real Madrid might not have been as consistent as they would like to be, but they are still a force to reckon with. Having recently knocked out Manchester City from the UEFA Champions League, they are riding high on confidence and should not have much trouble going up against Real Sociedad, who have been inconsistent since the start of the campaign. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for the away team in the first leg.
