Real Sociedad vs Villarreal Betting Tips

The Basques made 8 changes for their Copa del Rey tie against Las Palmas in midweek. Trailing 2-1 from the 1st leg they could only draw 1-1 and exited the competition and with it lost perhaps their only hope of qualifying for Europe this season. Coach Eusebio Sacristán was clearly prioritising this match and having made the call to effectively sacrifice the Cup, the pressure is really on to pick up a much needed 3 points here.

Real Sociedad are unquestionably underachieving but with most of their players available again after injury problems they will be expected to move up the league. They have taken 4 points from their last 2 matches in La Liga, a 2-1 win at home to Eibar and a 1-1 draw at Getafe last time out. They probably should have got more than a point from the game in truth and will be eager for 3 points here to head into the festive break on a high.

Villarreal have had another good week in what is shaping up to be a good season for them. They stunned Real Madrid at El Madrigal last Sunday thanks to an early Roberto Soldado goal which moved them into 5th place and were 2-0 winners against Huesca in the Copa del Rey in midweek to overturn a 3-2 1st leg defeat.

Away from home they haven’t been at all convincing of late though. They haven’t scored in any of their last 4 away league games, going down to 3 defeats and when you consider 3 of those games were against struggling sides in the form of Levante, Las Palmas and Getafe, that is a bit of a worry.

For that reason, a Real Sociedad side that have been making gradual improvements look the more likely winners here and can be backed at 2.075 in the Asian Handicap market (0.0, -0.5).

It’s likely to be close though and with Villarreal struggling in front of goal on the road, backing Real Sociedad to win 1-0 at 6/1 could be the way to go here and it would net them a third straight home win in the league since the arrival of new manager Eusebio.