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

Real Sociedad will be aiming to return to winning ways when they continue their La Liga campaign with a clash against fellow Basque outfit Alaves on Saturday.

La Real are currently 10th in the La Liga table, boasting 16 points from their opening 14 matches of the 2025-26 campaign, while the home side are 14th, picking up 15 points from their first 14 games.

Match preview

Alaves have a record of four wins, three draws and seven defeats from their 14 La Liga matches this season, with a total of 15 points leaving them in 14th spot in the table.

El Glorioso finished 15th in La Liga last season, and they are enjoying their best ever period in Spain's top flight, having operated at this level in eight of the last nine campaigns.

Eduardo Coudet's side will enter this match off the back of a 3-0 victory over Portugalete in the Copa del Rey, which secured their spot in the third round of the competition.

However, Alaves have lost each of their last three league games, going down to Girona, Celta Vigo and Barcelona since a home success over Espanyol at the start of the month.

The Blue and Whites have tackled Real Sociedad on 51 previous occasions, recording just 15 wins, but they have been victorious in the last two matches between the two sides, doing the double over their Basque rivals during the 2024-25 La Liga campaign.

Real Sociedad, meanwhile, have underperformed this season, with the team currently down in 10th spot in the table, boasting 16 points from their opening 14 matches.

La Real have won four, drawn four and lost six of their 14 matches, and they have actually conceded the most goals in the top 12, which is an indication of their defensive struggles.

Sergio Francisco's side will enter this match off the back of a 2-0 victory over Reus FCR in the second round of the Copa del Rey, but they lost 3-2 to Villarreal in La Liga last time out.

Real Sociedad have actually only won one of seven away league matches this season, and they will be taking on an Alaves side that have 11 points to show from their seven fixtures at home.

La Real have only won one of their last four league games against Alaves, which was a 1-0 success in the corresponding game during the 2023-24 campaign.

Alaves La Liga form:

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Alaves 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

Alaves will be without the services of Antonio Blanco through suspension, with the midfielder picking up a milestone yellow card in the defeat to Barcelona last time out.

The Basque outfit have no injury problems, though, so head coach Coudet will have a strong squad to choose from, and there are not expected to be any surprises.

Lucas Boye has scored twice in 10 appearances this season, and there should be another spot in the final third of the field for the 29-year-old, while Calebe could also feature in the starting side.

As for Real Sociedad, Orri Oskarsson, Mikel Oyarzabal, Yangel Herrera and Inaki Ruperez are out of the contest due to injuries, while Igor Zubeldia and Luka Sucic are major doubts.

Head coach Francisco will make wholesale changes from the side that started in the Copa del Rey last time out, with Ander Barrenetxea and Goncalo Guedes in line to feature in the final third.

Takefusa Kubo is also expected to be introduced into the XI this weekend, but Aihen Munoz is likely to retain his spot at left-back against Alaves.

Alaves possible starting lineup:

Sivera; Jonny, Tenaglia, Pacheco, Parada; Ibanez, Guevara; Calebe, Suarez, Rebbach; Boye

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:

Remiro; Aramburu, Zubeldia, Martin, Munoz; Kubo, Mendez, Gorrotxategi, Soler, Barrenetxea; Guedes

We say: Alaves 1-1 Real Sociedad

Recent history suggests that this will be a tight match, and we are finding it difficult to separate the two teams, with the points potentially being shared in a low-scoring draw.

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