Salzburg vs Real Sociedad prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2023-10-02 16:45.
It’s been an excellent start to the 2023/24 campaign for Austrian champions RB Salzburg who sit top of their domestic division after nine matchdays (W7, D1, L1), a feat topped off by their impressive 4-0 victory this past weekend. Their UEFA Champions League (UCL) opener also saw Gerhard Struber’s side claim a vital 2-0 win away to Benfica, a result that has already significantly enhanced their chances of progressing to the UCL knockout stages for just the second time in club history.
The visit of La Liga’s Real Sociedad offers the hosts the chance to win consecutive UCL matches for the first time since October 2021, a season in which they last progressed from the group stages. Salzburg’s historic record when facing Spanish sides in European competition won’t exactly boost confidence for this clash at Red Bull Arena though, even if four of their five wins came at home (W5, D3, L12).
A huge 3-0 statement win in the Basque derby on Saturday against fierce rivals Athletic Bilbao should have Sociedad in high spirits ahead of UCL matchday two. That result made it just one loss from their opening eight league matches of the season (W4, D3, L1), but the Spanish outfit were denied a win in their UCL opener by a late Inter Milan leveller in a 1-1 draw.
Sociedad also remain frustratingly inconsistent on the road which could cause the visitors more problems here. Their three away outings this season have all delivered different results (W1, D1, L1), whilst their last UCL group stage campaign in 2013/14 saw them lose all three matches on the road, a feat they’ll hope to avoid replicating this term.
Players to watch: Salzburg’s Karim Konaté scored last time out to make it seven goals in 12 competitive outings this season, with four of the last five arriving after HT. Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo also netted at the weekend to make it four goals in seven matches this campaign, all four of which came before HT.
Hot stat: Sociedad’s last six matches have produced an average of four goals per game.