Preview: Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad - prediction, team news, lineups

Real Madrid will be aiming to move to the top of the La Liga table when they continue their domestic campaign with a home fixture against Real Sociedad on Saturday night.

Los Blancos are second in the division, one point behind the leaders and champions Barcelona, while Real Sociedad are eighth, three points behind six-placed Espanyol.

Match preview

Real Madrid have a record of 18 wins, three draws and two defeats from their 23 La Liga matches this season, with 57 points leaving them in second spot in the table, one point behind the leaders Barcelona, who are not in action until Monday evening against Girona.

As a result, Los Blancos will be bidding to move to the top of the division on Saturday, and their form in La Liga is excellent, triumphing in each of their last seven league fixtures.

Alvaro Arbeloa's side recorded a 2-0 win over Valencia in Spain's top flight last weekend, and they have had a free week to prepare for this match, having been knocked out in the last-16 stage of the Copa del Rey by Albacete.

Real Madrid have the third-best home record in La Liga this season, picking up 30 points from 11 matches at Bernabeu, while Real Sociedad have 11 points from their 11 games on their travels.

Los Blancos recorded a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad in the reverse match earlier this season, while the capital outfit are unbeaten against their Basque opponents since May 2023.

Not since January 2019 have Real Sociedad beaten Real Madrid at Bernabeu in La Liga, but the visitors will enter this weekend's match full of confidence due to their excellent form.

Indeed, La Real are unbeaten in their last 11 matches in all competitions, recording eight wins in that run, which has seen them rise up the La Liga table and also advance in the Copa del Rey.

Real Sociedad will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday, with the second leg due to be held on March 4.

In La Liga, Pellegrino Matarazzo's side have won four of their last five matches, including a 3-1 success over Elche, with the result leaving them in eighth spot in the table.

La Real are now only three points off sixth-placed Espanyol, and a European finish this season has to be the aim considering their recent form, which has made up for a poor start to the campaign.

Real Madrid La Liga form:

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Real Madrid form (all competitions):

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Real Sociedad La Liga form:

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Real Sociedad form (all competitions):

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Team News

Real Madrid will be missing Eder Militao (hamstring) and Jude Bellingham (hamstring) on Saturday evening, while Ferland Mendy (hamstring) and Rodrygo (muscle) both need to be assessed ahead of the fixture.

Vinicius Junior will be back after missing the Valencia game through suspension, while fit-again Trent Alexander-Arnold could feature from the start after making his return from injury off the bench in the two-goal success over Los Che.

Brahim Diaz was impressive off the bench against Valencia and may now be given the nod from the first whistle, with Rodrygo a major doubt, while Arda Guler and Franco Mastantuono are both out of form at this stage of the season.

Real Sociedad, meanwhile, will be missing Takefusa Kubo (hamstring), Unai Marrero (face) and Brais Mendez (suspended) for the fixture at Bernabeu.

Arsen Zakharyan (calf), Ander Barrenetxea (muscle) and Luka Sucic (groin) could also miss out, with the trio facing late fitness tests.

Alvaro Odriozola could feature against his former club at right-back, but it might otherwise be the same side that took to the field for the first whistle against Athletic in the Copa del Rey, with Mikel Oyarzabal operating through the middle.

Real Madrid possible starting lineup:

Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Brahim, Mbappe, Vinicius

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:

Remiro; Odriozola, Martin, Caleta-Car, Gomez; Gorrotxategi, Turrientes; Marin, Soler, Guedes; Oyarzabal

We say: Real Madrid 2-1 Real Sociedad

Real Sociedad's form is excellent, and the visitors are more than capable of making this a very tricky match for Real Madrid. However, Arbeloa's side are looking to move to the top of the table, and we are expecting Los Blancos to record a narrow win on Saturday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.