Real Madrid welcome Real Sociedad to the Santiago Bernabéu this Wednesday night for their first home match of the 2026/27 LaLiga season.
The fixture is scheduled to begin at 21:00 local time, or 20:00 in the UK, and allows José Mourinho to celebrate his return to the famous stadium with another victory.
Madrid opened their campaign with a dramatic 2-1 triumph away to Espanyol, while Real Sociedad suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against Real Betis.
Although the hosts are clear favourites, their unconvincing opening performance suggests the visitors may have opportunities to make this a competitive contest.
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Real Madrid Searching for Greater Sharpness
Real Madrid collected three points against Espanyol, but they had to wait until the 90th minute to secure them.
Jude Bellingham opened the scoring with a well-directed header following an Arda Güler cross, only for Alex Calatrava to equalise before half-time.
Mourinho’s substitutions eventually changed the match. New signing Carlos Espí came off the bench and scored the decisive goal, reacting quickest after Kylian Mbappé lost possession inside the penalty area.
The 21-year-old striker’s strength and presence offer Madrid a useful alternative when their more technical approach is not producing enough chances.
The partnership between Bellingham and Güler was one of the biggest positives from the opening game. Both players moved intelligently between midfield and attack, providing much of Madrid’s creativity. Federico Valverde also came close to scoring when he struck the post late in the second half.
However, Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior appeared short of their best rhythm after returning late from their post-World Cup breaks.
Mourinho will hope that another few days of preparation can help his star forwards rediscover their usual explosiveness.
Real Sociedad Must Be More Clinical
Real Sociedad began their league campaign with a frustrating defeat in Seville.
Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team enjoyed 52% possession and produced an expected-goals figure of 1.40, but could not convert any of their opportunities.
Orri Óskarsson missed several promising chances, while Luka Sučić struck the post after Rodrigo Riquelme had given Betis the lead.
An excellent late save from Álvaro Valles also denied Óskarsson. Those moments demonstrated that La Real can create openings, but their finishing must improve considerably at the Bernabéu.
Mikel Oyarzabal remains the visitors’ most influential attacking player. His movement, experience and ability to operate in several forward positions will be vital if Sociedad are to trouble Madrid. Takefusa Kubo, Sučić and Gonçalo Guedes can also provide creativity around the penalty area.
The concern is Sociedad’s away form. Their defeat at Betis extended their winless run on the road in LaLiga to seven matches.
They also finished only tenth last season, despite winning the Copa del Rey and securing Europa League qualification.
The Key Tactical Battle
Real Sociedad are unlikely to defend extremely deep from the opening whistle. Matarazzo prefers his side to compete for possession, press with organisation and build patiently through midfield. That approach could help the visitors slow Madrid down, but it may also leave dangerous space behind their defensive line.
Vinícius and Mbappé will look to exploit those areas, particularly during transitions. If Sociedad commit too many players forward, one accurate pass from Bellingham or Güler could immediately release Madrid’s pace.
The visitors’ best opportunity may come from pressing Madrid’s build-up and attacking quickly before the home defence becomes organised. They must also make set pieces count, especially if clear chances from open play are limited.
Head-to-Head Record
Recent meetings strongly favour Real Madrid. Los Blancos won both league encounters last season, recording a 2-1 victory in San Sebastián before producing a convincing 4-1 performance at the Bernabéu. Madrid have won four of the last five competitive meetings, with the other ending 4-4 after extra time in the 2025 Copa del Rey semi-final.
Verdict
Real Sociedad possess enough technical quality to make Madrid work, but their poor away run and wasteful finishing are difficult to overlook. Mourinho’s team were not at their fluid best against Espanyol, yet their attacking depth proved decisive.
With the Bernabéu crowd welcoming Mourinho back for his first home league fixture, Madrid should gradually take control and create the better chances.
Sociedad may threaten at times, but the hosts are expected to preserve their winning start.
Prediction: Real Madrid 2-0 Real Sociedad
