Celta Vigo‘s bid to secure qualification for the league stage of next season’s Europa League will continue on Tuesday evening, when they welcome a wounded Real Sociedad outfit to Balaidos Stadium.
The Sky Blues are currently seventh in the La Liga table, two points ahead of eighth-placed Rayo Vallecano, while Real Sociedad have dropped down to 12th, with their hopes of securing European football for next term fading fast.
Match preview
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Real Sociedad will enter Tuesday’s clash with Celta off the back of a 4-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid, with the result making it five matches without a victory in Spain’s top flight, which has seen them drop down into 12th position in the table.
The Basque team still have a chance of claiming European football for next term, sitting four points off eighth-placed Rayo, with the capital outfit currently qualifying for the Conference League playoffs.
Imanol Alguacil‘s side are six behind seventh-placed Celta in the battle for the Europa League, meanwhile, so a victory on Tuesday night would put them in a position to battle for seventh heading into the final straight.
There is no getting away from the fact that it has been an underwhelming La Liga season for Real Sociedad, with the team only winning 12 of their 35 matches, suffering 16 defeats in the process, while they have also only scored 32 times.
It will be an interesting summer transfer window for La Real, with key player Martin Zubimendi seemingly almost certainly heading for Arsenal, while head coach Alguacil is also departing, so the team will be taken in a new direction.
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Celta last played in the Europa League during the 2016-17 campaign, famously reaching the semi-finals of the competition before losing to Manchester United, and they have their eyes on more football in the same competition next term.
A solid campaign has seen the Sky Blues pick up 49 points from 35 matches courtesy of a record of 14 wins, seven draws and 14 defeats, and they currently sit seventh in the table, two points ahead of eighth-placed Rayo.
Claudio Giraldez‘s side will enter this match off the back of a 3-2 victory over Sevilla, and their home form this season has been excellent, picking up 36 points from 18 matches, recording 11 wins in the process.
Celta have found it more difficult on their travels, with the team only having the 17th-best away record in La Liga, collecting 13 points from 17 matches, which is a concerning record heading into this match.
The Vigo outfit are bidding to do a La Liga double over Real Sociedad, having recorded a 2-0 victory earlier this season, and it was 1-1 when the two teams locked horns for the corresponding match last term.
Team News
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Real Sociedad remain without the services of Arsen Zakharyan due to a thigh problem, while Sheraldo Becker and Orri Oskarsson are major doubts, with all three missing against Atletico last time out.
Mikel Oyarzabal was replaced at the interval of the clash with Atletico, when Real Sociedad were 4-0 down, but no injury has been reported, so the Spain international should again be in the XI.
There will be changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Diego Simeone‘s side, with Hamari Traore and Brais Mendez both in line for starts, while Sergio Gomez should also be introduced into the team.
As for Celta, Jailson and Carl Starfelt missed out against Sevilla last time out, and the pair are both again expected to be unavailable for selection in the game with Real Sociedad on Tuesday night.
Borja Iglesias came off the bench to score against Sevilla, and the striker is now set to return to the XI, while there could also be a position in midfield for Fran Beltran, who was a half-time substitute last time out.
Marco Alonso received a red card in the latter stages of the first half against Sevilla, and his absence is likely to open the door for Javi Rodriguez to be introduced into the starting side.
Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Traore, Martin, Elustondo, J Lopez; Kubo, Mendez, Zubimendi, Martin, Gomez; Oyarzabal
Celta Vigo possible starting lineup:
Guaita; Mingueza, Lago, Dominguez, J Rodriguez; Duran, Moriba, Beltran, Swedberg, Aspas; Iglesias
We say: Real Sociedad 1-1 Celta Vigo
Real Sociedad are in disappointing form, but Celta have struggled on their travels this season, so we are expecting a close match; it would not be a shock to see a home or indeed an away win, but we fancy the points to be shared in a low-scoring draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
