Real Sociedad vs Monaco

Real Sociedad and Monaco go head-to-head at the Reale Arena in an exciting UEFA Europa League Group B encounter. This will be their first meeting in European competition.

Real Sociedad are dealing with a growing injury list ahead of this encounter, but they can draw confidence from going unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions (W5, D2). Imanol Alguacil’s men have been nothing short of defensively robust at home this season, keeping a clean sheet in all four competitive matches at the Anoeta (W3, D1). Yet, it’s worth noting that each of their three victories in that four-game sequence yielded a narrow 1-0 scoreline. Sociedad will be looking to build on a 2-2 with PSV Eindhoven in their Europa League Group B curtain-raiser and potentially secure a hat-trick of victories over French opposition, having won their last two such contests by the same 2-0 scoreline. Worryingly, though, the Basque giants have won just once in their past six Europa League outings on home turf (D2, L3).

On the other hand, Monaco claimed a well-deserved 1-0 home win over Sturm Graz in their Group B opener, registering 16 shots on goal while preventing the Austrian side from attempting a single shot on target. Having returned to European football after a two-year hiatus, Monaco will be looking to negotiate their group stage campaign in UEFA-sanctioned competition for the first time since 2016/17. Though they can fall back on a four-match undefeated streak in all competitions (W3, D1), it might be looming in the forefront of ‘Les Monégasques’ minds that they’ve lost eight of their 11 competitive away meetings with La Liga opposition (W2, D1). However, Niko Kovac’s men have netted 2+ goals in their last four competitive fixtures on foreign turf, highlighting their devastating goalscoring potential.