A Basque derby in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, it does not get much bigger than this.
Real Sociedad are in the driving seat ahead of the tie’s second leg tomorrow evening after claiming a 1-0 win at San Mames.
So the onus is on Athletic Bilbao to chase the game at the home of their fiercest rivals, which should help provide entertainment and drama from the get-go.
Check out our full online sports betting preview for the latest edition of one of Spanish football’s biggest fixtures, complete with tips and the latest football odds.
Real Sociedad vs Athletic Bilbao Preview
Benat Turrientes’ 62nd-minute goal at San Mames has heaped pressure on the shoulders of Athletic Bilbao.
Ernesto Valverde’s side initially responded well to the semi-final setback by recording consecutive 2-1 victories in La Liga over Real Oviedo and Elche.
But Bilbao could only muster a 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano on the weekend, which has seen them fall behind Real Sociedad in the table on goal difference.
La Real claimed a huge 1-0 win at Mallorca last Saturday courtesy of a first-half strike from Carlos Soler.
However, that result came after a 4-1 thrashing at Real Madrid and a 3-3 home draw with Oviedo, in which Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side conceded a 92nd-minute equaliser.
The performance at Mallorca was a reminder of La Real’s quality, though, which they also displayed in the first leg of this tie.
Real Sociedad enjoyed more possession at San Mames and tallied four more shots on target, and it will be interesting to see how Bilbao respond at the hostile Anoeta Stadium on Wednesday.
The La Liga meeting at La Real’s home back in November was an absolute thriller, with the hosts eventually claiming a 3-2 victory thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Jon Gorrotxategi.
Real Sociedad vs Athletic Bilbao Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Real Sociedad are the pre-match favourites at a price of 2.19. A victory for Athletic Bilbao is at odds of 3.40, while the draw is 3.35.
Real Sociedad vs Athletic Bilbao Betting Tips
Anytime goalscorer – Mikel Oyarzabal @ 2.55
Real Sociedad legend Oyarzabal – who you may remember scored Spain’s winning goal in the Euro 2024 final – is enjoying a superb season. Now regularly deployed as the focal point of the attack, he has 11 goals in 27 appearances across all competitions. The La Real skipper loves playing at the Anoeta too, with eight of those goals scored in front of his adoring fans.
Total goals – Over 2.5 @ 2.10
While the first leg saw only one goal scored, we fancy things to be a little different here. The emphasis is on Bilbao to attack from the first whistle, while six of La Real’s previous nine matches in all competitions saw over 2.5 goals scored. At a price which is slightly higher than evens, this could be a fantastic pre-match selection.
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