La Liga Preview: Real Sociedad Retains Core Squad, Rayo Vallecano Struggles in Pre-Season

At 1:00 AM on August 19th, the first round of the 2024/25 La Liga season will see Real Sociedad host Rayo Vallecano. Real Sociedad finished sixth last season, a commendable achievement given their multi-front campaign, which has instilled greater aspirations for the new season. Their opponent, Rayo Vallecano, started strong but faltered and ended up fourth from the bottom. Had teams like Cadiz performed better, Rayo Vallecano would have nearly jeopardized their future.

Alguacil, who began as a youth team coach, has led Real Sociedad’s first team to increasingly stable performances. Therefore, in recent seasons, Real Sociedad’s investment in the transfer market has been limited. This summer window, the club continued its conservative approach, making minor adjustments while maintaining a slim positive balance, including a €34.5 million transfer of Le Normand to Atlético Madrid. They brought in Sucic for €10 million from Red Bull Salzburg, Gómez, a member of Spain’s Olympic team, from Manchester City for €9 million, and López for €6.5 million from Alavés. So far, the club’s transfer income stands at €11.5 million. Crucially, the club retained Zubimendi, the cornerstone of their revival. With most of the core squad intact, Real Sociedad should still be capable of challenging the top teams if they perform normally.

Rayo Vallecano, with limited squad strength and a tight budget, has very little room to maneuver in the transfer market. They spent €8 million on De Frutos from Levante and €5 million on Camello from Atlético Madrid, the two biggest expenditures this summer. Given their current squad composition, it is likely that Rayo Vallecano will struggle in a severe relegation battle this season.

During the La Liga break, Real Sociedad arranged six friendlies, achieving two wins, two draws, and two losses. However, the victories were against J.League teams Tokyo Verdy and Gamba Osaka. Neither the drawn nor lost opponents were strong sides. A 1-1 draw against Union Berlin, who narrowly avoided relegation on the last day of the Bundesliga, and another 1-1 draw against Alavés. Judging from the pre-season form, Real Sociedad is still far from their best. Rayo Vallecano also played six friendlies, recording one win, two draws, and three losses, losing 0-2 to Guimaraes, 0-5 to Heerenveen, and 0-1 to Bournemouth. The whole team faced numerous issues in both attack and defense. However, in their final pre-season friendly, they beat Premier League side Wolves 1-0, their only victory during the pre-season.

Statistically, the two teams have met 49 times, with Real Sociedad winning 21, drawing 14, and losing 14, holding an advantage. Rayo Vallecano’s last victory over Real Sociedad dates back to the 2014/15 season. In the past 11 encounters, Real Sociedad remained unbeaten. To some extent, Real Sociedad continues to rise, while Rayo Vallecano’s ranking declines annually. However, after a long off-season, which team can quickly get into shape remains uncertain. From the results of already concluded La Liga opening games, top-ranked teams from last season have not fully shaken off their vacation mode, with physical condition and muscle vitality yet to be fully activated. Although Real Sociedad appears stronger on paper, if they cannot swiftly enter their game rhythm, there is still a chance of an upset.

Schedule analysis shows that Real Sociedad’s first five opponents are Rayo Vallecano, Espanyol, Alavés, Getafe, and Real Madrid. The first four opponents are relatively weak, offering a good opportunity for at least three wins, a favorable schedule for the team. Rayo Vallecano faces a more complex situation with their first five opponents being Real Sociedad, Getafe, Barcelona, Espanyol, and Osasuna. If not handled well, Rayo Vallecano could accumulate a series of defeats without securing even one win.

Before the match, Real Sociedad coach Alguacil said: “I have excluded Merino from the list because we are negotiating with other clubs, which is currently the best solution.” This player is currently linked with Arsenal. The departure of key midfielder Merino will certainly be a significant blow to Real Sociedad.

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