Real Sociedad are not presently in the Primera Division relegation dogfight, but if their poor recent form continues, Martin Lasarte’s side will certainly start to be drawn into the thick of the action. After starting the season so promisingly, one win and five defeats in their last six matches leave the Basque club at a crossroads in their campaign.
Initially their form at Anoeta was the cornerstone of their success, but this has escaped them in recent weeks, with defeats against Valencia and Sevilla hampering the progress of the San Sebastian outfit significantly.
Away from home against Villarreal last Sunday, la Real nearly sprung a significant shock in El Madrigal, taking the lead through an effort from Mikel Aranburu. But Sociedad were on the back foot for the majority of the game and would twice leak goals from Giuseppe Rossi.
“We have to try again to be strong in Anoeta because it will be key to achieving our goals,” Aranburu explained to Marca this week, doubtless eyeing Saturday’s fixture as a juicy opportunity to claim three points.
The performance on the east coast last weekend, in conjunction with a fine 4-0 win over Getafe in their previous match, is enough to suggest that the Basques are in the midst of turning their form around, but if that is not the case, the last weeks of the campaign will prove very nervy indeed.
Morale Hit By Midweek Loss
Jose Luis Oltra finally seems to be changing the fortunes of lagging Almeria, though anyone watching their midweek dismantling at the hands of Barcelona could be forgiven for thinking that this unit is one destined for relegation. The Andalucians capitulated in Camp Nou, losing three goals in the first
15 minutes before eventually going down 5-0.
“The team did not believe in what it could do,” the coach lamented after the midweek loss. “I am annoyed because I don’t think we even tried.
"We were unable to get into the match, and this is a sad feeling. I am for the most part guilty for the team's result. I didn't expect us to lose this badly.
This result is at odds with their recent Primera Division form, which suggests that they can hope for significantly better. A 1-1 draw against Real Madrid could even have been a victory, while success over Osasuna 3-2 last weekend has put Oltra’s side within touching distance of safety.
Having lost six of their previous 10 away matches, Almeria are by no means a side who flourish on the road, even if they have managed a shock win at the home near neighbours Sevilla. If Oltra is to guide his side away from the bottom three, then this is the kind of match they need to start to profit from.
TEAM NEWS
Real Sociedad
Joseba Llorente will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a back injury against Villarreal last weekend. Mikel Gonzalez has also been carrying a knock, though he was banned in any case. Zurutuza returns after a ban.
Almeria
Juanito and Marcelo Silva are both going to have to prove their fitness before the trip north, though Juanma Ortiz is the only player definitely ruled out of this clash.
Prediction
Effectively out of the Copa del Rey, Almeria now have the opportunity to focus primarily on the league. Their recent form has been excellent, but though Real Sociedad’s form has been poor in recent times, the San Sebastian club are showing signs of stepping their game up and will claim a narrow home win at Anoeta.
Real Sociedad 2-1 Almeria 
