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

Real Sociedad and Osasuna will both be looking to return to winning ways when they continue their respective La Liga campaigns with a contest on Sunday night.

The hosts are eighth in the La Liga table, five points off sixth-placed Celta Vigo, while Osasuna occupy 11th, only one point behind their opponents at Reale Arena.

Match preview

Real Sociedad have a record of nine wins, eight draws and 10 defeats from their 27 league matches this season, with 35 points leaving them in eighth spot in the division.

The Basque outfit are only five points off sixth-placed Celta and therefore very much in the race for Europe heading towards the final straight, but consistency has been a problem this season.

Pellegrino Matarazzo's side will enter this match off the back of a 3-2 loss to Atletico Madrid, but they have picked up four points from their last three league games and have also managed to secure their spot in the Copa del Rey final.

Real Sociedad have a record of six wins, three draws and four defeats from their 13 home league matches this season, and they will be welcoming an Osasuna outfit that have only managed to post two wins from their 14 La Liga fixtures on their travels.

La Real have won their last three matches against Osasuna, including a 3-1 victory when the two teams locked horns in the reverse game earlier this season.

Osasuna lost on penalties to Real Sociedad in the last-16 stage of the Copa del Rey in January, but they have managed to win three of their last six games against Sunday's opponents, including a 2-0 success at Reale Arena in October 2024.

Alessio Lisci's side will enter this match off the back of a 2-2 draw with Mallorca, while they were beaten by Valencia in their last away fixture at the start of the month.

Osasuna ended February with a standout win over Real Madrid, though, and they are currently 11th in the table on 34 points, just one point behind their opponents in this match.

Los Rojillos are only three points ahead of 15th-placed Girona but just three from Espanyol in seventh, demonstrating how quickly the picture can change in Spain's top flight.

Osasuna finished ninth in La Liga last season, only missing out on Europe on head-to-head points with Rayo Vallecano, who claimed eighth in the table.

Real Sociedad La Liga form:

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Real Sociedad form (all competitions):

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Osasuna La Liga form:

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Team News

Real Sociedad will again be without the services of Takefusa Kubo and Alvaro Odriozola due to injury problems, while Aihen Munoz and Inaki Ruperez are doubts.

There were certainly positives to take from the clash with Atletico last time out, but there will be changes to the starting side for this weekend's fixture with Osasuna.

Mikel Oyarzabal and Goncalo Guedes are both set to return in the final third of the field, with Luka Sucic expected to move into a deeper role for the home side.

As for Osasuna, Iker Benito remains a long-term absentee due to a serious knee injury, while the visitors will be missing two attackers through suspension.

Raul Garcia was sent off against Mallorca and is therefore banned, while Ruben Garcia picked up a milestone yellow card in the same match and misses out for the same reason.

Kike Barja could start after his strong showing off the bench against Mallorca, while there will be another spot through the middle for Ante Budimir, who has scored 13 times in La Liga this season.

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:

Remiro; Aramburu, Martin, Caleta-Car, Gomez; Marin, Herrera, Sucic, Soler; Oyarzabal, Guedes

Osasuna possible starting lineup:

Herrera; Rosier, Catena, Herrando, Galan; Moncayola, Torro; Barja, Oroz, Munoz; Budimir

We say: Real Sociedad 1-1 Osasuna

There has not actually been a draw between these two sides since December 2023, but we are finding it difficult to separate them on this occasion and are therefore predicting a stalemate on Sunday.

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