Plzen vs Real Sociedad prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-11-06 20:00.
[p]Viktoria PlzeĆâs UEFA Europa League (UEL) campaign has seen plenty of entertainment thus far, despite their three matches all ending level. They staged a remarkable late comeback to draw 3-3 with Eintracht Frankfurt in their opener before tasting their own medicine against PAOK on matchday three, with those thrillers coming either side of a goalless draw against Ludogorets.[/p]
[p]Those results not only prove PlzeĆ can be incredibly tough to beat, but they also form the tail-end of an impressive streak thatâs seen them lose just one of their last 23 European matches (W16, D6). Unfortunately for the hosts, Real Sociedad paying them a visit for the very first time may jeopardise that proud record as PlzeĆ have lost eight of their ten prior meetings with Spanish clubs (W1, D1). [/p]
[p]While PlzeĆ have enjoyed consistency, Sociedadâs results in this UEL campaign have been a mixed bag (W1, D1, L1). Their four-point return at this stage must be tinged with frustration however, as La Real opened the scoring inside 20 minutes of all three of those matches, breaking the deadlock inside just five minutes before going on to lose at home to Anderlecht on matchday two.[/p]
[p]Sociedad will be looking to keep the points ticking over here, and losing just three of their last 18 away European assignments will give them confidence they can do just that (W8, D7). Manager Imanol Alguacil will hope their consistency – which has eluded them domestically and in Europe – is on the way back after a 2-0 away win over the UELâs most prestigious team in Sevilla at the weekend, in which they denied them so much as a single shot on target.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: PlzeĆ will be hoping Pavel Ć ulc can continue to be a good luck charm for them, since theyâve never lost a senior club match when heâs scored (W20, D2). Someone with an equally impressive record when finding the net for Sociedad is Takefusa Kubo (W17, D1), although he still awaits his first European goal for the club. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: The half-time result has been replicated at full-time in nine of Sociedadâs last ten matches. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Peter Stavrinou[/i][/p]