Verdict: Real Madrid win & Both teams to score
Best Odds: 17/10
Bookmaker: Dachbet
Drawing a close to the 2024/25 campaign on Saturday afternoon, Los Blancos will welcome Real Sociedad to the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid
Starting with the hosts, officially relinquishing their La Liga crown to arch-rivals Barcelona last week, Real Madrid have already accepted that they will end of the 2024/25 campaign without a single piece of silverware to show for their troubles. With Saturday’s showdown at the Bernabeu set to be Carlo Ancelotti’s final appearance in the Spanish capital, Los Blanos are desperate to send the Italian tactician off with a warm goodbye. Despite coming under even more scrutiny on May 11th as they slumped to a 4-3 defeat in Catalonia, Real Madrid have won six of their previous seven La Liga appearances. Likewise, Ancelotti’s men have won their last three consecutive domestic matchups at the Bernabeu by an aggregate score of 6-3.
Real Madrid Team News
Shown a second-half booking away at Sevilla last weekend, England international Jude Bellingham will miss out through suspension on Saturday afternoon. Likewise, dealing with what has become a stacked injury list, Los Blancos will be unable to call upon the likes of David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, Antonio Rudiger and attacking talisman Vinicius Junior.
Enjoying a sensational maiden campaign among Spain’s elite and notching 29 goals in his 33 La Liga outings, French skipper Kylian Mbappe will lead the line here. Making just a sixth La Liga appearance of the season last week, Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin will be hoping to keep his spot between the sticks.
Real Sociedad
As for the visitors, while some in Real Sociedad’s camp might have opened up the 2024/25 campaign dreaming of the chance to mount a genuine Champions League charge, the Basque-based outfit have struggled to find any level of stability. Despite clinching a dramatic 3-2 victory at home against Girona last weekend, that is the only win that Saturday’s guests have collected from any of their previous six La Liga appearances. Getting their season finale underway scrapping it out in the bottom-half of the table, it has already been confirmed that long-standing boss Imanol Alguacil will be leaving the club following Saturday’s trip to Madrid. Gaining a reputation for their extended issues outside of the Basque Country, Sociedad have notched just a single La Liga win away from the Reale Arena so far this calendar year.
Real Sociedad Team News
Suffering another injury setback last month, Real Sociedad are once again expected to be without West Ham loanee Nayef Aguerd on Saturday afternoon. However, serving a one-match suspension against Girona last weekend, the 27-year-old will return to Alguacil’s travelling squad here.
Heavily linked with a potential Premier League switch this summer, Spanish international Martin Zubimendi looks set to make his final appearance for La Real. Bagging a Copa del Rey brace at the Bernabeu on April 1st and notching 18 goals across all competitions this season, Mikel Oyarzabal will lead the line.
Key Factors to Consider
When Real Madrid and Real Sociedad met during the Copa del Rey semi-finals last month, Los Blancos collected a 5-4 aggregate win.
Madrid have suffered just a single defeat from any of their previous 11 meetings against La Real – a run that stems back to February 2020.
Despite relinquishing their La Liga crown, Los Blancos have won six of their previous seven La Liga appearances.
French skipper Kylian Mbappe has recorded 29 goals in his 33 La Liga appearances this season.
Sociedad have recorded just a single La Liga victory away from the Reale Arena so far this calendar year.
Conclusion
In what will be Ancelotti’s final appearance in the Bernabeu dugout, Real Madrid will be desperate to give the Italian tactician a warm send off. Despite relinquishing their La Liga crown to arch-rivals Barcelona last week, Saturday’s hosts have won six of their previous seven La Liga appearances and will meet a Sociedad squad who have continued to show some glaring issues on their travels. Mustering just a single top-flight victory outside of the Basque Country since the start of December, it should also be noted that Madrid have won their last three domestic showdowns at the Bernabeu by an aggregate score of 6-3.
Verdict: Real Madrid win & Both teams to score
Best Odds:
Bookmaker: Dachbet
