Real Sociedad and Manchester United will hope to take a step closer to the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals when they face off in the first leg of the round of 16 on Thursday.
The 2024/25 UEFA Europa League resumes on Thursday with the round of 16. The action on the day will start with four simultaneous fixtures, including Real Sociedad vs Manchester United at the Reale Arena.
Real Sociedad had to take the scenic route to qualify for the UEFA Europa League round of 16. La Real ended the opening phase in the 13th spot in the standings after winning only four of the eight games. However, a resounding 7-3 aggregate win over Midtjylland helped them reach the current stage. That said, Imanol Alguacil will be eager to see his men turn their form around after losing to Real Madrid and Barcelona last week.
On the other hand, Manchester United reached the UEFA Europa League round of 16 by finishing in the third spot in the standings. The Red Devils were the only unbeaten team in the opening phase. However, their form has been horrendous, although Ruben Amorim’s men have not lost a game in regulation time in their last three outings.
The most recent clash between Real Sociedad and Manchester United at the Reale Arena ended in a 1-0 win for the Red Devils, with Alejandro Garnacho scoring the match-winning goal. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Real Sociedad
Imanol Alguacil has greeted positive updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Real Sociedad manager will be bereft of the services of only three first-team players vs Manchester United on Thursday.
Sheraldo Becker and Takefusa Kubo are available after missing the league game against FC Barcelona this past weekend. Meanwhile, Jon Aramburu and Martin Zubimendi missed the most recent UEFA Europa League clash due to suspension but will feature against Manchester United. However, Jon Pacheco (muscle) and Arsen Zakharyan (thigh) are on the sidelines, while Alvaro Odriozola (unspecified) is a doubt.
Alex Remiro will take his spot between the sticks, with Real Sociedad lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Thursday. The backline should feature Jon Aramburu, Igor Zubeldia, Nayef Aguerd, and Aihen Munoz.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Martin Zubimendi, Luka Sucic, and Brais Mendez. While Zubimendi will dictate the play from the base, Sucic and Mendez will provide the forward thrust from the middle of the park. Finally, Mikel Oyarzabal should lead the line for Real Sociedad against Manchester United, with Takefusa Kubo and Ander Barrenetxea being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Remiro; Aramburu, Zubeldia, Aguerd, Munoz; Sucic, Zubimendi, Mendez; Kubo, Oyarzabal, Barrenetxea
Manchester United
Unlike his counterpart in the Real Sociedad dugout, Ruben Amorim has new injury concerns to worry about ahead of the trip to the Reale Arena. The Manchester United manager will be without as many as 11 first-team players on Thursday.
Harry Maguire and Manuel Ugarte are the latest absentees after picking up knocks this past weekend against Fulham. The duo has joined Altay Bayindir (unspecified), Tom Heaton (knock), Jonny Evans (lower back), Lisandro Martinez (knee), Luke Shaw (calf), Toby Collyer (muscle), Kobbie Mainoo (muscle), Mason Mount (hamstring), and Amad Diallo (ankle) on the sidelines.
Andre Onana is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Real Sociedad on Thursday. The central defensive unit should feature Matthijs de Ligt, Victor Lindelof, and Leny Yoro. Meanwhile, Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu should start as the two wing-backs, with Noussair Mazraoui getting some rest.
The wide duo will provide width in the final third and support the two centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen should pair up in the middle of the park. Finally, Joshua Zirkzee will spearhead the Manchester United attack against Real Sociedad, with Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho supporting him in the advanced areas.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Onana; de Ligt, Lindelof, Yoro; Dalot, Casemiro, Eriksen, Dorgu; Bruno Fernandes, Garnacho; Zirkzee
Key Stats
- Real Sociedad have won only one of their previous six European encounters vs Manchester United (D2 L3), with that win coming in the group stage of the 2022/23 UEFA Europa League at Old Trafford in September 2022. La Real won that game 1-0, with Brais Mendez scoring the match-winning penalty, which remains the Basque outfit’s only goal against the Red Devils.
- Real Sociedad have never beaten an English side on home soil in Europe (D1 L3), failing to score in the last three matches (all against Manchester United). However, they are one of six sides to score in 100% of their UEFA Europa League games this season (10/10), with Manchester United also doing so (8/8).
- Manchester United have lost only one of their last eight away games against Spanish opposition in Europe (W5 D2). However, that defeat came in their most recent encounter, losing 3-0 at Sevilla in the second leg of the 2022/23 UEFA Europa League quarter-final.
- Real Sociedad have failed to progress from their previous four round of 16 ties in major European competition since knocking 1. FC Koln out of the UEFA Cup in 1988/89.
- Manchester United have averaged 18.8 shots per game in the UEFA Europa League this season, the most of any side still in the competition and their best ratio in a European season on record (since 2003/04). They also have the highest average sequence time (12.9 seconds), passes per sequence (4.5) and possession (61.2%).
Player to Watch
Alejandro Garnacho
While Bruno Fernandes and Takefusa Kubo were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Alejandro Garnacho as our Player to Watch for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League game between Real Sociedad and Manchester United.
The Argentine international has been in and out of the starting eleven in the last few games. However, the Red Devils have sorely missed Garnacho’s pacy outlet when they have begun matches without him. Meanwhile, the youngster might like playing against Real Sociedad, having scored the match-winning strike in the most recent meeting at the Reale Arena.
Prediction
Real Sociedad 1-1 Manchester United
Real Sociedad and Manchester United are two of only six teams still in the UEFA Europa League to score in each outing in the competition this term. While the two teams might have blown hot and cold in domestic football this term, they have been reasonably solid in Europe.
In addition, Manchester United have found a way to stay in games, even if they do not look potent in the final third. That quality will shine again on Thursday, with Manchester United holding Real Sociedad to a 1-1 draw at the Reale Arena.
