Copa Clash: Real Sociedad Hosts Real Madrid
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Synopsis
Real Sociedad faces Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinal, with Ancelotti’s squad favored to win. Both teams come in strong, promising an exciting match.
Key Takeaways
- Real Sociedad has a strong home record.
- Real Madrid is in excellent form.
- Both teams are missing key players.
- The match is crucial in the Copa del Rey.
- Expect a competitive and entertaining atmosphere.
Madrid, Feb 25 (NationPress) Real Sociedad welcomes Real Madrid for the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal on Wednesday night, where Carlo Ancelotti's team is seen as the favorite to advance and potentially face FC Barcelona or Atletico Madrid in the final.
This match arrives with Real Madrid currently in their strongest form of the season, having eliminated Manchester City from the Champions League and enjoying a solid 2-0 victory over Girona at home.
On the other hand, Real Sociedad has significantly bolstered their home performance lately, achieving 11 victories in their last 13 matches at the Reale Arena, including a convincing 3-0 win against Leganes, who were previously defeated by Real Madrid in the quarterfinals.
Imanol Alguacil, the coach of Real Sociedad, will have access to forwards Sheraldo Becker and Take Kubo, both of whom are suspended for their upcoming match against Barcelona, as reported by Xinhua.
Kubo netted the second goal in their recent victory against Leganes, and Real Madrid is entitled to 50 percent of any future transfer fee for their former player.
Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham’s suspension, which stemmed from a red card for abusive language directed at referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero in Pamplona over a week ago, only applies to La Liga, allowing him to return for this match, while Brahim Diaz is expected to move to the bench.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti might also shuffle his defensive lineup with Antonio Rudiger returning, and Fran Garcia stepping into the left-back role.
Midfielder Fede Valverde is likely to be sidelined due to muscle fatigue, as he was rested over the weekend and will probably sit out on Wednesday.
“Considering the challenging schedule we have, our performance is commendable,” remarked Ancelotti in his pre-match press briefing, noting that his squad has played 17 matches in the 50 days following the Christmas break.
“It’s quite exhausting; I feel tired, and based on what I observe and hear, a break is necessary,” he added.
“Facing Real Sociedad is always a tough challenge, especially as they are in good form; it’s a semi-final, and we anticipate a highly competitive and entertaining match,” Ancelotti concluded.
