- Los Blancos have won four of their last five fixtures and are on a three-match winning streak heading into this fixture.
- The visitors have won just one of their last five matches and have lost four on the spin.
Mourinho returns to Madrid
Real Madrid host Real Sociedad in the LaLiga 2026-2027 opener at the Estadio Bernabeu and the added spice of Jose Mourinho's return to the Spanish capital should make this a fascinating game. Los Blancos have a dominant head-to-head record against txuri-urdin in LaLiga, winning the last two meetings and winning 4-1 in the last fixture played between the two teams (Real Madrid's last home win over Real Sociedad).
Mourinho will have the team sitting compact, keeping the shape tight and looking to nick it on the counterattack. In Pellegrino Matarazzo's Real Sociedad, we have a completely different breed of coach as he will want his side to press high, overload central areas and attack through fluid possession patterns. These two opposing styles could lead to a chess match early on, but I think Real Madrid's transition edge should punish the visitors if they overcommit to their gameplan.
Real Madrid have better quality and are in better form
The form of both teams is a major factor here, as Real Madrid have won eight of their last 10 matches across all competitions (D1, L1). The hosts have won their last three matches, while Real Sociedad have won just two of their last 10 fixtures (D2, L6). At home in all competitions, Real Madrid are unbeaten after four matches this season (W3, D1), while Real Sociedad have lost four of their seven away fixtures (W2, D1, L4).
Real Madrid's average goals-per-match at home in all competitions is 3.00 (12 scored), and Real Sociedad have shipped an average of 1.86 per-match on the road (13 conceded). Backing over 2.5 goals is 1.53, so the market makes no sense on this fixture as Los Blancos are 1.39 and Real Sociedad 6.8. A home success is the obvious play here and the 4.85 draw looks a little on the short side.
Los Blancos are the likelier winners
A result at the Bernabéu is very hard to predict due to the differing styles of both managers, however, Real Madrid are more likely winners and should have the quality to win this match. Real Sociedad haven't beaten Real Madrid away from home in their last three attempts in LaLiga, which makes for a bad omen for the visitors. Both Teams to Score - No is the safer play at 2.0 as Los Blancos should control this game.
Real Madrid's recent results have been a 1-0 away win over Deportivo A Coruna and a 3-0 away victory against FC Schalke 04. Real Sociedad come into this one off the back of back-to-back 2-1 away defeats to 1. FC Koln and a 3-1 defeat away to Chelsea, so confidence is at a low ebb in txuri-urdin's camp.
