Getty Mikel Merino and Aritz Elustondo celebrate for Real Sociedad.
In-form Real Sociedad host struggling Elche on Sunday at Anoeta and will be aiming to continue their strong start to the season. The Basque side head into the weekend in third place in the table, just three points behind leaders Real Madrid, and having won four of their last five games.
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In the United States, the match (12:30 p.m. ET start time) isn’t on TV anywhere, but anyone in the US can watch Real Sociedad vs Elche live on ESPN+:
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Real Sociedad vs Elche Preview
La Real have bounced back well from an opening-day defeat to Barcelona. The team’s only other dropped points in La Liga so far in 2021-22 came in a goalless draw at home to Sevilla.
Wins over Rayo, Levante, Granada, Cadiz, and Granada have propelled the Basque side up the table and have manager Imanol Alguacil purring about his team ahead of the weekend.
“It’s in situations of adversity that your character shines through,” he said after La Real’s stirring 3-2 comeback win over Granada last time out at Los Carmenes, as reported by the club’s website.
The team’s performances have been even more impressive considering their lengthy injury list. La Real will once again be without injured stars including Alexander Isak, Nacho Monreal, Diego Rico, David Silva, Asier Illarramendi, and Ander Barrenetxea for the visit of Elche.
The injury situation allowed Australian goalkeeper Mat Ryan to make his debut in the win over Granada and he paid tribute to the strength in depth available to Aguacil in an interview with Real Sociedad TV.
“We’ve had a couple of injuries as well but the whole talk has been that we want the whole squad there and to be available and ready to play. They can all do a job, they are all great players. Tonight we showed the quality that we have within the team, for the new players to get an opportunity and still come out with a result,” he said. “Playing in La Liga is very difficult to do and I think it shows a lot about the individual players who had the chance tonight, and those players who play regularly, to come together and get this result. It’s some thing we can be very proud of.”
It’s been a different story entirely for Elche who have managed just one win in their first six games of the season and head into the match off the back of a 4-1 thumping by Villarreal at the Estadio de la Cerámica.
Manager Fran Escriba was none too impressed with the officiating after watching his side sink to a second La Liga defeat of 2021-22. He told reporters after the match, “As Groucho Marx would say. I’ve seen great refereeing, but not today.”
Escriba will need more from his side if they are to depart San Sebastian with any points on Sunday and they have struggled in attack, as shown by WhoScored.com.
😬 Fewest shots per game in Europe’s top 5 leagues this season:
1️⃣ Cadiz 🇪🇸 – 7
2️⃣ Elche 🇪🇸 – 7.2
3️⃣ Granada 🇪🇸 – 8
4️⃣ Salernitana 🇮🇹 – 8.3
5️⃣ Levante 🇪🇸 – 8.3
6️⃣ Leicester 🏴 – 8.6
Pedro Bigas, Jony Alamo, and Lucas Boye are expected to miss the game through injury, while Raul Guti, Omar Mascarell, and Dario Benedetto will be hoping for to start. Summer signing Javier Pastore could also make his full debut for Elche after two substitute appearances following his move from Roma.