Madrid: Real Sociedad meet Real Madrid on Saturday with the chance to reassert their stiring start to the season and press home their case as genuine contenders for La Liga’s top four.
They head to the Santiago Bernabeu sitting two points behind Madrid and as the league’s surviving surprise package after Granada’s fairytale opening has dissipated following three consecutive defeats. Real Sociedad have so far avoided a similar reality check, even if their latest three games before the international break showed some signs of strain. They were held by Leganes, who are rooted to the bottom of the table, two weeks after losing at home to struggling Levante, who had then sat 13th.
“I went into the dressing room and it looked like a funeral,” said coach Imanol Alguacil after the draw against Leganes. Around those slips were narrow wins over Celta Vigo and Granada, each achieved with goals in the last 10 minutes, which could be seen as evidence of a ruthless streak or a double stroke of luck. Yet their lofty position is well-deserved.
Since October 5, Gareth Bale has not played for his club once but represented his country four times and, if selected, it remains to be seen how the Madrid fans react after the way he celebrated Wales’ qualification for Euro 2020. After their win over Hungary in Cardiff, Bale bounced up and down behind a banner that read: “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order”, an ironic reference to his list of priorities. Zinedine Zidane will know his team cannot afford distractions. They sit behind Barcelona on goal difference and ahead of Atletico Madrid by a point. Barca are away at Leganes earlier on Saturday, while Atletico visit Granada. Sevilla, in fourth, travel to Real Valladolid on Sunday. (AFP)
