Can Real Sociedad Finally Keep a Clean Sheet? Torreense Arrive With Goals in Their Boots

Thursday night at the Reale Arena. Europa League football. Real Sociedad versus Torreense. On paper it looks like a comfortable home win. The thing is, nothing about either of these sides over their last four Europa League matches suggests comfort is on the agenda.

Real Sociedad: Inconsistent and Leaking Goals

Real Sociedad have played four Europa League matches in the declared sample. One win, two draws, one loss. That is not the form of a side with any real conviction in this competition. Their solitary clean sheet came in a 6-0 win over Lillestrøm, and they have not kept one since. In three of their four matches, both teams have scored. That tells you everything about their defensive standards right now.

Listen, dropping points against Lyon and Union Saint-Gilloise with 1-1 draws is one thing. Losing to Bournemouth, with Real Sociedad conceding twice, is another. That result sits at the wrong end of their form string for a reason. There is no accountability there. That is unacceptable at home European level.

The injury picture does not help. Real Sociedad have four players currently listed as out, including one long-term absentee who has been missing since February. That disrupts rhythm. It disrupts the basics. But it is not an excuse. You still have to compete with the squad you have available.

Torreense: Chaotic but Not Toothless

Torreense arrive with two wins and two losses from their four Europa League matches. Their form string reads WLLW, so they come into this on the back of a positive result. Torreense beat Ararat-Armenia, with Torreense winning 3-2 in that match. Goals in it, typical of this side. In every single one of their four Europa League matches, both teams have scored. Every one. Zero clean sheets across the sample. Zero.

They were hammered by Ferencvárosi, with Torreense losing 1-4 in that contest, which is a reality check. And Torreense lost 1-2 to Sunderland before that. Two consecutive defeats in the middle of this run show there is a fragility to them. But they bounced back. That takes a certain attitude, even if the defensive basics remain a serious concern.

The Key Battleground

Both sides have conceded in 75 per cent or more of their Europa League matches in this sample. Real Sociedad have conceded in three of four. Torreense have conceded in all four. The question is not whether goals are coming. The question is which side can hold their shape long enough to win the battle at the other end.

Real Sociedad's 9 goals scored across four matches shows there is genuine firepower in their side. Torreense have managed 7 in the same window. This will not be a cagey affair. The desire from both sides to attack is clear. The desire to defend is less obvious.

The Verdict

Real Sociedad at home should win this. They have more quality. They have home advantage. But they have not been convincing enough to suggest this will be straightforward. Torreense will cause them problems because they always cause problems. That is just what this Torreense side does.

The thing is, Real Sociedad need to rediscover some standards at the back. Two draws and a loss in three of their last four Europa League matches is not good enough for a side that should be setting the standard in this group. They have the attacking numbers. The defensive numbers are what concern me.

Real Sociedad to win, but goals at both ends. Back that with conviction. End of.