Real Sociedad vs Rayo Vallecano

Reale Arena sets the stage for Real Sociedad’s 2024/25 La Liga curtain-raiser against Rayo Vallecano.

La Liga’s second-longest serving current manager, Imanol Alguacil, inspired Real Sociedad to a fourth consecutive top-six finish last season, ensuring European football this term. But losing dependable center-back Robin Le Normand to Atletico Madrid left a bitter taste in Alguacil’s mouth, even though he convinced star midfielder Martin Zubimendi to turn down Liverpool’s tempting offer. Sociedad signed off last season on a high, claiming three wins in their final five league games, yet a flying start to the new campaign isn’t a foregone conclusion. Prone to sluggish season entries, the hosts have won their opening-day La Liga match just once in the last five years (D3, L1). Another draw could be on the cards, considering six of Sociedad’s 11 most recent top-flight clashes against Rayo Vallecano have ended level (W5, D6).

With over a third of those meetings featuring an identical 2-2 scoreline, a high-scoring opener could be in store, even though this corresponding fixture last term ended 0-0. Rayo Vallecano stuttered in the 2023/24 season but managed to avoid relegation, finishing just one place above the drop zone. Head coach Inigo Perez had his hand in the visitors’ successful survival mission, garnering 14 points from as many La Liga games in charge of the Madrid-based club (W3, D5, L6). Keen to uphold their second-longest four-year top-flight stint, Los Franjirrojos must improve their embarrassing away form to bolster their survival hopes as they stare down the barrel of a seven-game scoring drought on the road for the first time since 1978.