Real Sociedad vs Girona

Real Sociedad's European Dreams Hanging by a Thread Ahead of Girona Clash

Real Sociedad’s slim chances of securing European football next season will vanish if they fail to defeat Girona at Reale Arena on Sunday in La Liga.

Coming off a 1-0 loss to Celta Vigo on May 13, La Real sit 12th with 43 points—five points adrift of Conference League qualification with only two matches left. Their opponents, Girona, are 13th with 41 points and have little left to fight for this campaign.

Manager Imanol Alguacil will be frustrated by his team’s inability to score against Celta, especially after creating eight clear chances—a stark contrast to their average of fewer than two big opportunities per game in their first 35 league matches.

Their attacking struggles are evident, having failed to score in their last four games while conceding 10 goals in their previous six. Sitting five points behind Rayo Vallecano and with a daunting final-day fixture against Real Madrid looming, a European spot seems increasingly out of reach.

Alguacil’s men are winless in six matches, suffering four defeats in that dismal run. Their home form has been equally concerning, with just one win, four losses, and two draws in their last seven outings at Reale Arena.

Meanwhile, Girona snatched a 1-0 victory over Real Valladolid last time out, thanks to Cristhian Stuani’s 80th-minute set-piece strike. That goal moved them level at the top of La Liga’s set-piece scoring charts with 13 this season.

Despite netting only three times in their last four matches, Girona’s defense has held firm, conceding just twice in that span. Manager Michel suffered a 1-0 defeat to Sociedad earlier this season, and his side’s last win against them dates back to February 2010—a run that includes three losses and six draws.

Girona have shown slight improvement lately, winning two of their last three games (both 1-0) while losing once. However, prior to that, they managed just one draw and three defeats in four matches.

Their away form has been inconsistent, with two wins and one loss in their last four road trips. Yet before that, they endured a six-game winless streak on their travels, losing five times.

With both teams struggling for consistency, Sunday’s clash could prove decisive for Sociedad’s fading European ambitions.