Probable Lineups
4-3-3
4-2-3-1
Probable Lineups Statistical Comparison
* Values in brackets (x) are overall player statistics in Primera Division.
Missing Players
Real Madrid
Real Sociedad
Player | Reason | Status | Rating |
---|---|---|---|
Sergio Ramos | Doubtful | 7.15 | |
Toni Kroos | Doubtful | 7.33 | |
Dani Carvajal | Doubtful | 7.22 |
Player | Reason | Status | Rating |
---|---|---|---|
David Zurutuza | Out | 7.13 |
Team News
Real Madrid
Real Sociedad
- Despite recently recovering from knocks, Toni Kroos and Sergio Ramos are expected to start in the spine of Los Blancos' side.
- James Rodriguez should keep his place in midfield, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale making up the front three.
- Dani Carvajal is close to full fitness for the hosts, meaning that Danilo will need to prove his worth at right-back.
- David Zurutuza is the only injury absentee for the away side, with several faces returning to training over the Christmas period.
- Alberto De La Bella returns from suspension, but the full-back is likely to take a seat on the bench.
- Sergio Canales is expected to be preferred to Bruma, with the ex-Valencia midfielder set to start on the left wing.
Playing Nacho ahead of Varane is puzzling.
@whiteout_rip_it yes, I was also surprised to see Varane on the bench. And also surprised to see how often Pepe ran out to cover the often vacant RB position.
Bale is a world class player. There was never any doubt he'd come back into form. People underestimate his value to the team. Combining chances created and goals in La Liga this season, Bale has 41 (in 12 games), Ronaldo has just 37 in 5 extra games and as we know, he likes a penalty. ;-). Those 2 are directly comparable in position and Bale is producing more.
@SteveHyland Cristiano converts almost all the penalties he receives and that must be the reason people are so annoyed and call him Penaldo!! If he starts missing them like Messi and Neymar he might earn their respect as well.
@starc- I wasn't actually having a dig about Ronaldo and his penalty-scoring. It was a tongue-in-cheek comment in reference to everyone who mentions it. Needless to say, everybody would take a man who converts 90% of his penalty chances. He's excellent. Not quite Le Tissier but still superb. I was, however, being serious in comparison to Bale. For all the talk of Ronaldo being one of or THE best in the world (depending on whereabouts you live I suspect), I'd expect him to have at least 68 chances created/goals scored by now. Real fans can't blame it all on Benitez when Bale is producing and Modric (34 chances created, 0 goals in 16 games) too. The reasons Ronaldo doesn't get the respect from the wider footballing community like Messi does are because he only plays his best when it's in his interest, goes missing in big games, feigns injury at every opportunity and looks like he'd rather score but have his team lose than vice versa. Difficult to prove the last one of course.
@SteveHyland ahhh Steve you often make comments of some sort of interest, and sound as though you are knowledgeable until you start dribbling on about Ronaldo and how you question him as you do. If you watched a large majority of his games for 90 minutes as I do you wouldn't be just referring to the stats you've researched. 3 years ago CR7 got a savage elbow to his face. His eye was closed swollen shut but he still played on for 20 minutes. No lying about on the ground for even 10 seconds where most players would've rolled around and wallowed. Your opinions show some knowledge, yet are stupidly off the mark when you come up with absolute garbage like "feigns injury at every opportunity" I've seen him crack it and sit on the pitch for moments twice in the last 2 years. No feigning injuries. Keep to the facts please sir.
@Quest- So Ronaldo doesn't dive then? News to me. You should take a look on you tube son, plenty of material there which is FACT (unless you and your "CR7" fanboys believe the footage was faked?). Naming 1 example where he didn't dive doesn't mean he stays on his feet. Technically you're correct, it isn't EVERY opportunity, I should've said "Feigns injury at 99% of opportunities". Saying he doesn't dive is akin to saying Ramos doesn't foul but hey I bow to your obvious unbiased knowledge...
@starc when he learns to haggle, when he learns to put the leg with opposition when he learns to be a good partner when he learns to respect the fans, he knows when to pull thread faults, when he ceases to mourn and be a man. then you will be respected. And much more
RMadrid continues to steal
team president real sociedad goes to the locker room of the referees "have come to steal, I'll put a complaint" Madrid survives thanks to the referees
Penaldo! xD
We were just 25 min from Benitez sacking then Ronaldo saved his ass by scoring (awesome goal)!
Real Madrid Must Out Benetiz Today,s match was,nt benetiz Formation it was the player succesness OUT From my real Benetiz
Another great performance from Gareth Bale. I think he has really stepped it up after his previous injury. Lucas Vazquez deserves to be in the starting line up more than Cristiano Ronaldo. And I don't really understand the unnecessary crosses in Real Madrid.
@CirdomAkul @Garet bale is really best
Gareth Bale is involved in almost everything good Real Madrid do.
If Benitez is watching this game, he will substitute Nacho.
hhhh real Madrid Rating More Than Sociedad Wtfff Whoscored Is Drunk!
@alihouma - More shots more possession better PS more dribbles more Aerials won more tackles and less number of times Dispossessed. Hence better rating! as simple as that.
Ref stole Penalties from RS!
Danilo and Nacho ... jesus .. who taught you to defend..
Benitez is crying for win oh! But he won't get.
1-1
Any other coach could do better with this team....
HALA MADRID
@starc 4 haters detected. Probable number of haters watching this match > Madridistas
Penaldo is not happy because he could'nt score the first penalty. The want Real to win this laliga but it will not happen.
@Kedonojo Hater Detected !
@Logical HATERS CAN'T KEEP THEMSELVES AWAY FROM CRISTIANO! SO OBSESSED! THEY WATCH EACH AND EVERY GAME HE PLAYS . I RESPECT THE OBSESSION.
considering Rolando's poor form this season, he won't do anything great for the team. few players can play under his shadow. so let's be honest, Real Madrid without him are much better. #HALA_MADRID
@Mahdi Is true.
@Mahdi that incredible moment when a player scores 23 goals in 22 games and he's considered in poor form while other players can't score that much in a whole season. and don't get me wrong, i agree that his form could use some improvement.
@DiM scoring in games which are almost won Some bully he is
@destro567 LOL. i love it when haters find stupid reasons like this. that goal was at 2-0 when game was won. that goal was against a weak team. that other goal was fron penalty. another one was when the opponents were one man down. a goal was a tap-in, another was caused by a defender's huge mistake and so on. haters are gonna find excuses to hate all day long. but the truth is ronaldo has 25 goals in 23 matches in what is considered to be a poor season for him so far. and yet these stats are better than most players' best seasons. like him or not, he's a scoring machine and a great player.
@DiM Except that the excuses are true, Ronaldo doesn't score many great goals anymore and doesn't work for the team.
Well, this is rather easily given. But Ronaldo......
2 penalties not called
@ChaoticReaper Pepe against Jonathas was rather 50/50 I would say, Pepe got the ball, didn't clear it though. But well, asking penalty for Navas against Agirretxe... sounds silly.
Don't know if it's good that the chances are being created or bad that Ronaldo and Benz are hitting them straight at the keeper...
Both team to score, Cristiano Ronaldo to score twice. Illaramendi to score for Sociedad.
7-1, Ronaldo hatrick, Benzema hatrick, Bale and Agirretxe one goal.
@Locomotive Only if RS play with 9 players!!! Keep on dreaming mate... :p
3-1 R.Madrid wins.
Hahahahahah always, i know the best madrid can do in this game is a draw. I know penaldo will be fraustrated in this game and he may pic red card here.
@Kedonojo why do you hate him so much ?!!
@super.dave Because na fine boy.
Illaramendi is shining again. watch him be influencial in this game against his former team that never gave him a proper chance... He is currently in the seasonal La Liga XI
I'm predicting a real madrid lost
I hope thats is the last match for Benitez
madrid 5 rsociedad 1
why is Madrid graced with these schedules? why valencia plays day31? if plays versus madrid day3... the realma smell bad
@anllunavi This happens during the season. Sometimes Real Madrid rests a day less than the opposition and vice versa. It happens to all the teams all around europe.
@CirdomAkul Do you believe? you really think that Madrid in the Spanish league is treated like the others. You do not know anything about the Spanish league. you prove your words of ignorant
@anllunavi do you compare Real madrid and barcelona with valencia ? Reeal Madrid and Barceona will both play Champions league
@anllunavi Some reliable examples would convince me otherwise.
@CirdomAkul If you have not lived, you'll never know. Looking objective data of history of the league. sport and extra sport.
Madrid gets the best times and days to play. the first match and the last match in christmas days. why?
@anllunavi because it puts them in prime time television for the whole world who wants to see them.
Many previous meetings between these two teams have had goals galore. Taking into account their recent form one would expect a game with many goals.