Real Sociedad welcome Atletico Madrid to Estadio Anoeta for a dead-rubber La Liga fixture on the final day of the 2023-24 season on Saturday afternoon.
La Real will be seeking revenge against Los Colchoneros after they suffered a 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture at Civitas Metropolitano in October last year.
Match preview
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After securing their first top-four finish in a decade to qualify for the Champions League last season, Real Sociedad must settle for sixth place in La Liga this term and will subsequently play Europa League football in 2024-25.
The San Sebastian-based outfit have won 16, drawn 12 and lost nine of their 37 league fixtures and have collected nine points from their last 15 available, only dropping point in defeats to Real Madrid (1-0) and Barcelona (2-0) during this run.
Imanol Alguacil's side have won their last two games without reply, following up a narrow 1-0 home victory over Valencia with a 2-0 success at seventh-placed Real Betis last weekend courtesy of first-half strikes from Brais Mendez and Mikel Merino.
That victory has guaranteed a top-six finish for Real Sociedad, but they cannot climb any higher after Athletic Bilbao beat Sevilla in their last match to secure fifth spot.
Real Sociedad, who have picked up exactly 30 points both home and away this season, will be looking to end the season on a high in front of their own fans against an Atletico Madrid side whom they have failed to beat in their last eight league meetings.
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For the first time in 12 seasons, Atletico Madrid will finish outside of the top three in La Liga after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to Osasuna in their final home fixture of the season last weekend.
Los Colchoneros had won each of their previous four league games prior to their encounter with Osasuna, but a brace from Raul Garcia as well as goals from both Aimar Oroz and Lucas Torro ultimately condemned the hosts to their 10th top-flight loss of the campaign, three more than in 2022-23.
Atletico's defeat to Osasuna came as a surprise to many, as they had only lost one of their previous 18 La Liga matches at Civitas Metropolitano, and only rivals Real Madrid (50) have accumulated more points than the Red and Whites (49) on home soil this term.
Nevertheless, Diego Simeone's side are guaranteed a top-four finish and will qualify for next season's Champions League as they sit eight points clear of Athletic Bilbao in fifth, but they cannot catch up with Girona in third as they sit five points further ahead.
Atletico have picked up less than 33% of their La Liga points away from home this season, but they will be optimistic of success on Saturday as they have avoided defeat in four of their last five visits to Real Sociedad, including each of their last three; Los Colchoneros could avoid defeat in four successive league trips to Estadio Anoeta for the just the second time this century since a run of four wins between 2010 and 2013.
Team News
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Real Sociedad will be without Robin Le Normand, Igor Zubeldia (both muscle), Aihen Munoz and Carlos Fernandez (both knee) due to injury, while Martin Zubimendi (muscle) will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Alguacil will consider rotating his side in a few positions, with the likes of Alvaro Odriozola, Ander Barrenetxea, Takefusa Kubo and Andre Silva all hoping to force their way back into the first XI after beginning as substitutes last weekend.
Top scoring Mikel Oyarzabal will be looking to add to his 14 goals in all competitions, although his record against Atletico leaves little to be desired as he has found the net on just one occasion in his last 11 meetings with the capital club.
As for Atletico, Vitolo (knee), Nahuel Molina (hamstring) and Pablo Barrios (muscle) all remain in the treatment room with injuries, while Stefan Savic (knock) is doubtful.
Gabriel Paulista is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards, but Axel Witsel and Jose Gimenez are both available to return after serving their own one-match bans and could be recalled in defence to start alongside Mario Hermoso.
Memphis Depay, Saul Niguez, Angel Correa and Alvaro Morata are among a number of Atletico players that have been linked with a possible exit this summer and they could make their final appearance for the club in some capacity on Saturday.
Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Traore, Elustondo, Pacheco, Tierney; Merino, Turrientes, Mendez; Kubo, Oyarzabal, Barrenetxea
Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Llorente, Witsel, Gimenez, Hermoso, Lino; De Paul, Koke, Saul; Correa, Griezmann
We say: Real Sociedad 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Both teams are merely playing for pride in this fixture, but they will want to end the campaign on a positive note, particularly the hosts in front of their own supporters.
Atletico have got the better of Real Sociedad in recent meetings, but as there is little to separate these two evenly-matched sides at present, we can see Alguacil's men claiming at least a share of the spoils this time around.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
