Real Sociedad vs Roma Predictions

• Roma have a two-goal first-leg lead to defend in Spain.
• Real Sociedad have won three of their last six home games, scoring two goals or fewer in five of them.
• Roma have not won any of their last four away games, losing three and drawing one.

Hosts lack firepower to overhaul Roma’s advantage

Real Sociedad will have to find some extra firepower to unlock a Roma defence that will take a two-goal cushion from the first leg into Thursday’s Europa League last-16 clash. Imanol Alguacil’s men are a solid team that would not look out of place in the quarter-finals, but may be let down by a lack of cutting edge up front.

The La Liga outfit have scored only once in their last four matches in all competitions and registered a solitary goal across their last three games at the Anoeta. They were blanked by Manchester United in their last group game played there when that was enough to take them through as the section winners, but the boot is on the other foot in this scenario.

Scoring two goals against Jose Mourinho’s Roma in a European game has proven to be a very hard task in the last couple of seasons and the experienced Serie A outfit will know how to slow the game down and frustrate the hosts in their quest. They might not finish the match with all 11 players on the field, but the Giallorossi hold all the cards with respect to qualification here.

Real Sociedad could be frustrated by streetwise Italians

That said, Real Sociedad could very well win the game in 90 minutes. They have won three of their last six home assignments and will be encouraged by the fact that Roma have lost three of their last four on the road.

Backing the home side to come through with fewer than three goals in the game makes sense as Roma will be prepared to suffer going a goal down in order to dig out their path to the last eight. There is a slight chance that they miscalculate and are taken to extra time by sustaining a two-goal defeat, but it is highly unlikely that they collapse within the 90 minutes.

A 1-0 Real Sociedad win makes the most sense in correct score markets as Roma have shipped exactly one goal in their last three road Europa League games and two of their last three away dates in total.