Football
Celta Vigo vs Real Sociedad Preview: Tips, Odds and Predictions
An afternoon clash between Celta Vigo and Real Sociedad on December 21 is previewed by SportsBoom. The excitement for sports betting enthusiasts and followers of La Liga for this clash is apparent and as such we preview the game for you and give our tips, odds and predictions.
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Aihen Munoz and Carl Starfelt//Getty Images
At the time of writing, the teams in question are separated by only four points with Sociedad five places above Vigo. A positive result from either team will see the gap reduced or stretched depending on who the football gods favour on the day.
Check out the best football betting sportsbooks to place your bets on this exciting clash between Celta Vigo and Real Sociedad.
Celta Vigo vs Real Sociedad Preview
Trailing the visiting team in terms of points, Celta Vigo has had a bag of mixed results in the last five games with only one win, two draws and two losses. Perhaps that’s a perfect indication of why they find themselves just below mid-table at this point of the season.
They will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing result away from home to Sevilla where they lost 1-0, a game in which luck wasn’t on their side. Their overall expected goals (xG) was 1.13, they hit the woodwork twice, eight shots inside the box and had 55% ball possession.
Their last game at the Estadio de Balaidos was a convincing 2-0 win against a Mallorca side that’s comfortably in the top five, Europa League qualification spot. This will serve as motivation against a team that’s doing relatively well in La Liga but were better off at this point last season.
Real Sociedad’s participation in European football this season has been a blessing and a curse, as is usually the case for teams that don’t have big purses like Real Madrid and co. However, their recent form indicates to a balance the manager has managed to strike with three wins in their last five games.
The points gained from that upsurge in wins sees them significantly higher than they were before as they’re figuring out how to balance two demanding competitions. Their last away game was an emphatic 3-0 victory against league strugglers, Leganes.
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: Close Contest Expected
Home 9/5 (2.80) 35.7%
Draw 43/20 (3.15) 31.7%
Away 33/20 (2.65) 37.7%
*Odds courtesy of Betway, subject to change
Head-to-Head record
Celta Vigo last beat Real Sociedad in an away game on June 24, 2020 and since then, the best result they’ve managed against them was a draw, two of them to be specific and the rest of the games were resounding defeats.
Last 5 Meetings in La Liga
20/01/24 Celta Vigo 0 Real Sociedad 1
19/08/23 Real Sociedad 1 Celta Vigo 1
18/02/23 Real Sociedad 1 Celta Vigo 1
16/10/22 Celta Vigo 1 Real Sociedad 2
08/01/22 Real Sociedad 1 Celta Vigo 0
Celta Vigo Current Form - LWLDD
Claudio Giraldez’s men need a positive result to turn around their form having not been able to string consecutive wins in their last five games, with only three points won. Goals have been a fixture in the inconsistent run.
Vigo have scored seven goals in those last five encounters and forced a 2-2 draw against log leaders Barcelona, with two late from Alfonso Gonzalez and Hugo Alvarez stealing a point for them in a game they were more likely to lose then get something out of.
At home, they have only lost once in the last five games with the other four results being two draws and two wins. Their home form will count for something in this encounter and there’s a possibility of a goal or two from them considering they’ve scored in that period, while only conceding four.
Tasos Douvikas and Iago Aspas//Getty Images
Key Players to Watch
- Oscar Mingueza: Able to play on either side as a fullback, the Spanish defender’s runs on the side and quality crosses have earned him two goals and five assists so far this season. His blistering pace and ability to cover the length of the pitch and take on players will be important on the day for his team.
- Iago Aspas: The team’s top scorer with six goals and three assists, nine goal contributions overall, Aspas comes in from the right just behind forward man Douvikas and is an integral part of this Vigo team. Any sort of contribution is possible from him in a game if his team is on song and for that reason, he is someone to lookout for.
- Hugo Alvarez: Alvarez scored in his team’s 2-0 home win against Mallorca and has three goals and one assist coming in from the left-wing. His contribution to the team in attack is notable but also covers when one of the midfielders or left-back has pushed up and left spaces that need to be covered.
Celta Vigo Team News
The team is still without Javier Manquillo, Jailson, and Fernando Lopez going into this one, and would hope for the return of either to boost their squad options.
Real Sociedad Current Form - DWWLW
Although having drawn 0-0 against Las Palmas, Real Sociedad are the form team coming into this encounter, having managed to secure nine points from their last five games with six goals scored. In that period, they’ve done fairly well away from home with one win and one loss, with only one goal conceded.
If we were to look at Sociedad’s form holistically and take into consideration their European fixtures and the Copa Del Ray, then Celta Vigo really need to be on the lookout. Their win tally on the trot was a combined five straight wins before their recent stalemate.
We believe squad rotation will be factored into this game to ease the load off players who have a lot of fixtures to deal with. The formation will also probably change as they’ve utilised several setups in their few encounters, from 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 lineups. It all depends on the managers assessment of the game, but form will come in handy for them and might just be the catalyst for an away win.
Key Players to Watch
- Mikel Oyarzabal: The Spanish forward has yet to hit his stride this season but is the go-to man for his team and will be looking forward to add to his goal tally of four, a meager return so far for a man of his quality.
- Igor Zubeldia: Zubeldia plays a prominent role in the team, switching from defense to midfield depending on the opponents and tactics for the day. For this game, we are of the opinion that he will be moved a little bit forward in midfield to play a box to box role, covering in defense and doing some attacking when needed.
- Martin Zubimendi: Another utility player who has featured in different roles for his team this season, Martin Zubimendi has played the majority of his La Liga season as a backline but is naturally a midfielder. His flexibility will be key for Imanol Alguacil who might just have him switching roles in the game for attack and defense.
Real Sociedad Team News
Key man Martin Zubimendi is reportedly open to a Liverpool move in the upcoming winter transfer window having turned it down earlier on in the season. This might just be one of his last games in the blue and white of Sociedad. Hamari Traore, Jon Pacheco, Aihen Munoz and Aritz Elustondo are still out nursing various injury.
Predicted Line-ups
Celta Vigo: 3-4-3
Guaita, Alonso, Starfelt, Rodriguez, Alvarez, Beltran, Moriba, Mingueza, Aspas, Douvikas, Bamba
Real Sociedad: 4-2-3-1
Remiro, Aramburu, Zubimendi, Aguerd, Munoz, Zubeldia, Sucic, Kubo, Gomez, Becker, Oyarzabal
Suggested Bets
Celta Vigo Total - 0.5: Having scored in all five of their previous five games at home, a repeat is possible in this fixture. Just one goal is all Celta Vigo needs in this game to set you on in your bet. Two goals are very likely as well but one is much more probable, although the visiting team haven’t let in that much on their trips away. (21/50 with Betway), (2/5 with N1Bet).
Over 1.5: Three out of five of their last games have resulted in more than two games, with Real Sociedad getting the lion’s share of the goals. Their recent goal scoring form is also something to factor in when making this bet as both teams have scored a combined sixteen goals in the last five games they’ve played. (21/50 with Betway), (9/20 with N1Bet).
Both Halves Under 1.5 – No: If one team scores first in either half, first or second, we believe the other will mount a comeback or the team that scored first will double their lead. Both teams have been involved in a lot of open games recently that saw over 1.5 goals in one half. (3/4 with Betway), (73/100 with N1Bet).
Value Bets
1st Half 1st Goal – Celta Vigo: Home team advantage is a yardstick we employed for this bet, especially so considering that they have been able to score in their last two home matches, although not both games had a goal in the first half from them, but the possibilities are very high if they breakout quickly in the opening stages of the match. (2/1 with Betway), (189/100 with N1Bet).
Real Sociedad to Score in Both Halves – Yes: In the two recent score draws and one loss, Alguacil’s men conceded goals in either half, so our permutation is that it’s likely possible for them to have a repeat bet result for this market if the visiting team manages to score in the first half. (17/5 with Betway), (171/50 with N1Bet)
1st Half Real Sociedad Clean Sheet – No: With the first bet in mind, the most logical thing to do as a punter would be to have an inverse market, which looked at carefully is the same thing. If you do this, you will be able to maximize odds and increase your potential payout because if Vigo score in the first half, the inverse is that Sociedad failed to keep a clean sheet. (36/25 with Betway).
Prediction: Celta Vigo and Both Teams to Score
At home, we believe Celta Vigo can get a positive result and shock their opponents on the day, therefore, we will give them an outright win, coupled with a both teams to score market because the game will be open if there is an early goal from either team. This is solely based of historical data, owing to the fact that three of their last five La Liga encounters have seen both teams score.
Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Jimmy holds a Diploma in Journalism and Media Studies. He’s a passionate sports enthusiast with broad knowledge across various disciplines.
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