Athletic Club vs Real Sociedad: La Liga Preview, Form and Key Stats

Athletic Club host Real Sociedad in the La Liga on Sunday 01 November, 23:00 (Mecca time). The hosts are 8th in the table and the visitors 5th. This preview uses the season's La Liga results to compare how both sides score, defend and perform at home and away.

Where the two sides stand

Athletic Club are 8th on 12 points (goal difference +3) and Real Sociedad are 5th on 19 (+1); Real Sociedad are 7 points ahead of Athletic Club. Athletic Club trail the leaders Barcelona by 15, while Real Sociedad trail the leaders Barcelona by 8.

What is at stake

On points alone (goal difference separates ties, and other results will move the table too): if Athletic Club win they reach 15 points, at best 7th; if Real Sociedad win they reach 22, at best 4th. A draw would take Athletic Club to 13 (at best 7th) and Real Sociedad to 20 (at best 4th).

Athletic Club at home

Athletic Club have 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat at home (8 points from 5 games, 1.6 per game), scoring 1.8 and conceding 0.8 per game. They kept 3 clean sheets and failed to score in 1 of those 5.

Real Sociedad away from home

Real Sociedad have 3 wins, 0 draws and 2 defeats away from home (9 points from 5 games, 1.8 per game), scoring 2.4 and conceding 2.2 per game. They kept 0 clean sheets and failed to score in 1 of those 5.

Current streaks for Real Sociedad: 4 straight wins.

Recent form

Athletic Club's last 5 results in the La Liga, newest first (opponent position in brackets): 4-0 vs Getafe (18th, W); 1-3 at Levante (15th, L); 0-0 at Valencia (19th, D); 0-0 vs Alaves (7th, D); 1-1 vs Elche (16th, D). That is 6 points from a possible 15, with 6 goals scored and 4 conceded.

Real Sociedad's last 5 results in the La Liga, newest first (opponent position in brackets): 2-1 vs Levante (15th, W); 5-2 at Malaga (20th, W); 3-2 vs Deportivo La Coruna (11th, W); 3-2 at Valencia (19th, W); 0-3 vs Atletico Madrid (2nd, L). That is 12 points from a possible 15, with 13 goals scored and 10 conceded.

Against top-half opponents Athletic Club have 2W 1D 2L (1.4 points per game from 5 games); against the bottom half it is 1W 2D 1L (1.25 per game from 4).

Against top-half opponents Real Sociedad have 0W 1D 3L (0.25 points per game from 4 games); against the bottom half it is 6W 0D 0L (3.0 per game from 6).

When the goals come

Athletic Club's 11 league goals are spread by minute band, with the most productive spell 16-30 (3 goals); 7 (64%) came after half-time and 2 after the 75th minute. they have conceded most between minutes 46-60 (3 of 10 goals), including 3 after the 75th minute.

Real Sociedad's 20 league goals are spread by minute band, with the most productive spell 0-15 (4 goals); 9 (45%) came after half-time and 4 after the 75th minute. they have conceded most between minutes 61-75 (7 of 17 goals), including 4 after the 75th minute.

Late goals could matter: Athletic Club have scored 2 after the 75th minute and Real Sociedad have conceded 4 there, while Real Sociedad have scored 4 and Athletic Club have conceded 3. Before half-time, Athletic Club have scored 4 and Real Sociedad have conceded 3; Real Sociedad have scored 11 and Athletic Club have conceded 4.

Tactics and discipline

Athletic Club's most used formations: 4-2-3-1 (9 games).

Real Sociedad's most used formations: 4-4-2 (6 games), 4-2-3-1 (4 games).

Athletic Club have collected 18 yellow and 2 red cards and converted 1 of 2 penalties.

Real Sociedad have collected 20 yellow and 3 red cards and converted 1 of 1 penalties.

Players to watch

Athletic Club's players to watch: Álex Berenguer (3 goals and 4 assists in 10 appearances); I. Williams (2 goals and 2 assists in 10 appearances); Aitor Paredes (average rating 7.35).

Real Sociedad's players to watch: Mikel Oyarzabal (2 goals and 2 assists in 10 appearances); Carlos Soler (1 goal and 3 assists in 9 appearances); Álex Remiro (average rating 7.34).

Head-to-head

In their last 10 meetings Athletic Club won 4, Real Sociedad won 4 and 2 were drawn, averaging 1.9 goals per game. Both teams scored in 3 of them and 3 had more than 2.5 goals. The most recent was Real Sociedad 0-1 Athletic Club in the Friendlies Clubs (2026).

Recent meetings, newest first: Real Sociedad 0-1 Athletic Club (2026); Real Sociedad 1-0 Athletic Club (2026); Athletic Club 0-1 Real Sociedad (2026); Athletic Club 1-1 Real Sociedad (2026); Real Sociedad 3-2 Athletic Club (2025).

Goals outlook

Blending Athletic Club's home scoring rate (1.8) with Real Sociedad's away conceding rate (2.2) gives about 2.0 goals for Athletic Club; the reverse calculation gives 1.6 for Real Sociedad, a combined 3.6. Both teams scored in 2 of Athletic Club's 5 home games and 4 of Real Sociedad's 5 away games, and over 2.5 goals appeared in 3 and 4 of them. These are season-average calculations, not a forecast.

Strengths and weaknesses

Athletic Club's strengths: 3rd in the league for goals conceded (9 conceded).

Our read

On the numbers, recent form favours Real Sociedad (12 points from the last five against 6). Athletic Club collect 1.6 points per home game while Real Sociedad take 1.8 per away game, which keeps the contest balanced.