Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Real Sociedad prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-10-23 16:45.
[p]Two teams yet to find a win so far in this season’s UEFA Europa League (UEL) meet on match day three, as Maccabi Tel Aviv (L2) host Real Sociedad (D1, L1) with both sides sitting in the bottom 12 ahead of kick-off. With international organising bodies’ continued prohibition of matches hosted in Israel, Maccabi now have a job on their hands to match last season’s UEFA Conference League progression, which is also the furthest they’ve gone in European competition this century! [/p]
[p]At least winning both of their league games since their 2-0 home UEL loss to Midtjylland, which also ended a three-game winless run (D1, L2), may console them a little. As such, manager Žarko Lazetić will now be looking for his side to continue that momentum and witness another fast start from Maccabi, who have scored seven of their last eight goals in all competitions before the 40-minute mark.[/p]
[p]That might prove important against a Sociedad side who have conceded their last five goals in the first half, even if they managed to keep a clean sheet in their away victory over Girona last time out, which ended a four-game winless run on the road (D3, L1). Having never faced Maccabi or any Israeli side in their club history though, there is little insight for Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil to share with his side – increasing the danger factor for the Basque contingent here.[/p]
[p]Their recent defensive prowess has been proven by the fact that those aforementioned five goals have come across the space of their last seven games (W2, D3, L2). But it’s at the other end where they continue to struggle, with Sociedad failing to score more than one match goal in 11 of their 12 competitive matches this season, and in what is now a winless five-game UEL streak (D2, L3). [/p]
[p]Players to watch: After scoring in back-to-back club games for the first time since February, Maccabi’s Elad Madmon is one to watch out for – he can also take a spot-kick which have made up half of his side’s last six goals! Meanwhile, Ander Barrenetxea, who struck in Sociedad’s last UEL away game (1-1 vs Nice), has seen his last five goal contributions arrive before HT. [/p]
[p]Hot streak: Each of Maccabi’s last seven games have seen exactly two or three match goals scored.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Luke Bridle [/i][/p]