Ponferrad. vs Real Sociedad Prediction 5 January 2025

🔊 Will Real Sociedad confirm their status as favorites in the Copa del Rey round of 32 match? Much will depend on the lineup chosen by Imanol Alguacil. On paper, Ponferradina appears to be a quite manageable opponent. However, they will try to challenge the renowned opponent at the "El Toralín" stadium. On our part, we will consider different options to make an optimal prediction.

📊 Head-to-Head

The opponents have not met on the football field before.

🔴 Ponferradina

Ponferradina represents the Primera RFEF. In Group 1, they are one of the leaders, occupying third place. Notably, they are one point behind Real Sociedad (B), and will soon meet the first team from San Sebastián. The team approaches the match in good form, having secured three consecutive clean sheet victories. They are third not only in points but also in goals scored - 27 in 18 matches. However, in the Copa del Rey, Ponferradina is not distinguished by scoring. In the match against Escobedo, they couldn't score in 120 minutes (0:0). There was also a penalty shootout in the encounter with Castellón (1:1), where the team equalized in the first minute of added time.

🔵 Real Sociedad

Real Sociedad occupies seventh place in La Liga. They trail by five points not only behind Villarreal but also Mallorca, which was certainly not part of the Basque plans. Currently, they do not qualify for European competitions, so sacrificing the national cup, which could be a ticket to the Europa League, is not an option. This season, Real Sociedad also participates in Europe's second-tier club tournament. Two rounds are still ahead, but the team has not secured an early playoff spot. In such a packed schedule, using a reserve lineup for the Copa del Rey is quite justified. Nevertheless, this did not prevent them from thrashing Hove (5:0). However, there were problems against Conquense. The team managed to score the only goal in extra time when key players appeared on the field.

⚽️ Prediction on Goals

Real Sociedad scores little in La Liga but concedes even less - 13 goals in 18 matches. Only Atlético has a better defense by this metric. Alguacil's team hasn't conceded in 6 of their last 7 matches and in three away games in the Copa del Rey. Therefore, as a potential bet, we note - Ponferradina will not score.

🚩 Prediction on Corners

This season, Real Sociedad has an advantage in corners - 6.2 compared to 4.5. Meanwhile, their opponents average 4.6 corners. In the Copa del Rey, the team was clearly stronger than Hove and Conquense in this aspect. In the latter case, they took 12 corner kicks while their opponent took three, considering only regular time. Therefore, a bet on Real Sociedad to win with a handicap (-1.5) on corners suggests itself.

📝 Match Prediction

The favorite for the upcoming match is Real Sociedad. This season they are strong defensively but do not shine brightly in attack. Therefore, it is unlikely that the visitors will win by a large margin. In this situation, we note a potential exact score of 0:1.

There is a feeling that both teams will focus on defense. Ponferradina will be forced to do so, and Real Sociedad plays in such a style. Meanwhile, the visitors will likely control possession a lot, leaving the hosts with almost no chances. Considering that the San Sebastián team is one of the leaders in terms of goals conceded in La Liga and previous Copa del Rey matches ended with clean sheet victories, as a key bet we propose - Ponferradina will not score.