As the two Spanish League teams gear up for a clash this Sunday, here are some important points to consider
Real Sociedad players. Pic/ AFP
Leaders against third-placed team. Two of the La Liga Santander's form teams meet this Sunday at 9pm CET. Here’s why it’s one of the most ‘can’t miss’ fixtures of the La Liga season.
1. A real football feast
Sundays’ clash brings together two of the most exciting, attacking teams in LaLiga Santander so far this season. La Real’s thrilling young side are LaLiga’s top scorers so far with 21 goals in their ten games played, with Spain international forward Mikel Oyarzabal currently leading the top scorer race with six goals. Villarreal CF meanwhile boasts the most in-form strike partnership in LaLiga so far this season: Paco Alcacer and Gerard Moreno are combining spectacularly and finding the net regularly - ten between them.
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2. Star playmakers on show
Both teams will have their big-name playmakers on show: Real Sociedad’s David Silva and Villarreal’s Dani Parejo have settled quickly and impressively at their new teams after joining this past summer. A World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, the now 34-year-old Silva scored his first LaLiga Santander goal in over a decade in La Real’s 4-1 win at RC Celta last month. Former Valencia midfielder Parejo, 31, has also settled quickly since a summer move to Villarreal, and netted his first of the season when his old Los Che team visited the Estadio de la Ceramica earlier in the season.
3. Reunion of former teammates
Respective coaches Imanol Alguacil and Unai Emery have plenty in common. Alguacil is a 49-year-old who was born near San Sebastian, came through the youth ranks at Real Sociedad and spent most of his playing career as a defender outside LaLiga Santander level. Emery is also a 49-year-old who was born near San Sebastian and spent most of his playing career as a defender outside LaLiga Santander level after coming through the youth ranks at Real Sociedad. Emery has since been to Moscow, Paris and London, while Alguacil stayed closer to home; Sunday will be the former teammates’ first ever meeting as opposing coaches.
4. Exciting emerging academy talents
La Real’s focus on youth was shown when coach Alguacil used 12 graduates of the club’s B team, none older than 25, either starting or off the bench in that recent 4-1 win at RC Celta. Txuri-urdin captain Oyarzabal, still just 23, is the leader of a generation which also includes holding midfielder Martin Zubimendi, 21, winger Ander Barrenetxea, 18, forward Roberto Lopez, 20, and midfielder Ander Guevara, 23. Meanwhile, Villarreal’s homegrown centre-half Pau Torres is now firmly established as a stater alongside Sergio Ramos for the Spanish national side, Nigerian winger Samuel Chukwueze is a regular for Emery’s team at 21, and 18-year-old Yeremi Pino has broken into the first-team set-up this season.
5. Pure unpredictability
The unpredictability of the 2020-21 campaign so far has made things extra exciting in LaLiga Santander, but Real Sociedad versus Villarreal has often packed a surprise over the years. Each of their last four meetings in LaLiga Santander has been won by the away team. Before that, in January 2018, Villarreal scored four times in the first 34 minutes on the way to a 4-2 victory. Further surprises seem very likely on Sunday when they meet again.
Watch Real Sociedad vs Villarreal CF live this Sunday on [LOCAL BROADCASTER] at [LOCAL TIME].
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