Henry Roldán
The Europa League round of 16 kicks off next Thursday and one of the first leg matches is Roma vs Real Sociedad.
In the playoff series against Salzburg, La Lupa succeeded in winning the second leg 2-0, enabling them to win 2-1 on aggregate after coming from behind. On the other hand, Txuri-urdines secured the top position in Group E with 15 points and a superior goal difference than Manchester United.
This will be the first meeting between these two teams of all time. Without further ado, at JefeBet we bring you the best preview for the match between Roma vs Real Sociedad.
Predictions, Picks, and Betting Odds for Roma vs Real Sociedad Europa League Round of 16 First Leg Game on March 9, 2023
- Where: Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy
- When: Thursday, March 9, 2023, 12:45 PM E.T.
- Moneyline: Roma (+125) / Draw (+215) / Real Sociedad (+280)
- Asian Handicap: Roma (-0.25, -113) / Real Sociedad (+0.25, -110)
- Over/Under (2.5): Over (+155) / Under (-200)
- Both teams score: Yes (+108) / No (-137)
All odds shown are brought by Unibet.
Betting on A.S. Roma
Roma is well-prepared for a very difficult first leg clash against Real Sociedad. José Mourinho’s team has won three of its last four Serie A matches, including the weekend’s win over Juventus, and now it sits fourth in the home championship.
La Lupa‘s defense has been crucial at this point, as it has allowed only three goals in its last seven official matches, including one in the playoff stage against Salzburg. Moreover, another great news for Roma is that it will start the series at home, a true Roman fortress against rivals.
In front of its fanbase, the team has won seven of its last eight matches, and in the UEFA competitions it has suffered just two defeats in its last 33 matches, both of which came against Spanish teams.
Probable lineup (3-4-2-1):Rui Patrício; Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling, Roger Ibañez; Nemanja Matic, Leonardo Spinazzola, Bryan Cristante, Nicola Zalewski; Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini; Andrea Belotti.
Betting on Real Sociedad
Despite not having a good moment in La Liga, Real Sociedad has had a great season, and it has proved it by defeating Manchester United in the group stage.
Although the team coached by Imanol Alguacil has only managed to attain one win in its last seven official matches, it has remained fourth in the home championship standings, and so the team has high hopes of reaching the Champions League.
Moreover, the Txuri-urdines have not fared badly playing away from home. In the Europa League group stage, the team won all three matches on the road with five goals scored and none conceded, while in the league it is the third-best team playing away from home.
Still, that performance has been on decline in recent weeks due to many offensive problems that have resulted in being unable to score in five out of its last seven matches.
Probable lineup (4-1-3-2): Alex Remiro; Ander Barrenetxea, Igor Zubeldia, Robin Le Normand, Diego Rico; Martin Zubimendi; Takefusa Kubo, Brais Méndez, Mikel Merino; Mikel Oyarzabal, Alexander Sorloth.
JefeBet Prediction
There is no doubt that this Thursday’s match between Roma vs Real Sociedad will be one of the most closely contested matches of the day. Both teams have a very solid defense, but their attacking abilities are not considered to be among the strongest in Europe.
Roma is fourth in Serie A in goals allowed with just 21, making it the team that has conceded the fewest amount of goals at home with just five. In the group stage, the team conceded three in three matches.
Equally, Real Sociedad is also fourth in La Liga in goals conceded with 23, and it has the fourth-best away record by allowing 11 goals against. Meanwhile, in the group stage, the home team did not score a single goal in three matches.
Considering everything that was previously mentioned, we can make the conscious decision to take full advantage of Unibet odds for this match. Especially the Under, which being at (-200) guarantees a profit of 50 dollars for every 100 dollars bet.
Prediction: Under (ROM 1 – RSO 0).
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