CORNELLA DE LLOBREGAT. Real Sociedad defeated Espanyol. Real Sociedad took advantage of its superior ball possession (56%).

Leandro Cabrera received a red card (90′)​. This double yellow card was one of the reason why Espanyol lost the match.

The match was played at the RCDE Stadium stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on Monday and it started at 9:00 pm local time. In front of 15,867 spectators.​ The referee was Alejandro Muñíz Ruiz assisted by Ignacio Alonso López and Fabián Blanco Rodríguez. The 4th official was Daniel Pastoriza Iglesias. The weather was clear. The temperature was cold at 8.2 degrees Celsius or 46.71 Fahrenheit. The humidity was 84%.​

Match Statistics​

Espanyol

2 - 3

Real Sociedad

  • 44 Ball Possession 56
Shots
  • 10 Total 11
  • 3 On Target 4
  • 1 Off Target 2
  • 1 Shots blocked 2
  • 18 Attack 20
  • 9 Dangerous attack 17
  • 90 Ball safe 91
  • 0 Penalties 0
  • 4 Corners 3
Fouls
  • 9 Total 17
  • 4 Yellow Cards 1
  • 1 Double Yellow 0
  • 1 Red Card 0
Other
  • 5 Substitutions 5

Ball possession

Real Sociedad had a strong ball possession 56% while Espanyol was struggling with a 44% ball possession.

Attitude and shots

Real Sociedad was more pushing with 17 dangerous attacks and 11 shots of which 4 were on target. This is one of the reasons why Real Sociedad won the match.​

Espanyol shot 10 times, 3 on target, 1 off target. On the other side, Real Sociedad shot 11 times, 4 on target, 2 off target.

Cards

Espanyol received 3 yellow cards (Óscar Gil, Martin Braithwaite and Leandro Cabrera). Talking about the opposition, Real Sociedad received 1 yellow card (Carlos Fernández ).

Leandro Cabrera (Espanyol) was sent off after receiving a second yellow card (90′).

Match Timeline

Óscar Gil- Yellow
18'
23'
Takefusa Kubo(goal)Jiri Malik
Sergi Gómez- sub ->Fernando Calero
44'
Rubén Sánchez- sub ->Óscar Gil
46'
46'
52'
Martin Braithwaite- Yellow
57'
Leandro Cabrera(own-goal)
63'
José Carlos Lazo- sub ->Aleix Vidal
69'
71'
Mikel Merino- sub ->Mikel Oyarzabal
71'
74'
Leandro Cabrera- Yellow
80'
81'
Pablo Marín- sub ->Jiri Malik
81'
Carlos Fernández - sub ->Alexander Sörloth
81'
Brian Oliván(goal)José Carlos Lazo
87'
José Gragera- sub ->Vinicius Souza
90'
Leandro Cabrera(yellowred)
90'
90'
Carlos Fernández - Yellow

Standings

Standings
Team
Pts
Pl
Last 5
FC Barcelona
88
38
Real Madrid
78
38
Atlético Madrid
77
38
Real Sociedad
71
38
Villarreal
64
38
Real Betis
60
38
Osasuna
53
38
Athletic Club
51
38
Mallorca
50
38
Girona
49
38
Rayo Vallecano
49
38
Sevilla
49
38
Celta de Vigo
43
38
Cádiz
42
38
Valencia
42
38
Getafe
42
38
Almería
41
38
Real Valladolid
40
38
Espanyol
37
38
Elche
25
38

After this match, Espanyol will stay with 21 points to hold in the 17th place. Regarding the opposition, Real Sociedad will have 42 points to sit in the 3rd place.

Next matches

In the next match in the La Liga, Espanyol will play away with Elche on the 19th of February with a 3-1 head to head stats in favor of Elche (3 draws).

Real Sociedad will host Celta de Vigo on the 18th of February with a 15-7 head to head in favor of Real Sociedad (12 draws).

Espanyol – Formation

Espanyol
G
Álvaro Fernández 25.Spain
6.3
D
Leandro Cabrera 4.Uruguay
7.2
90'
D
Brian Oliván 14.Spain
6.8
87'
D
Fernando Calero 5.Spain
6.5
44'
D
Óscar Gil 2.Spain
6.4
46' 18'
M
Aleix Vidal 22.Spain
6.3
69'
M
Sergi Darder 10.Spain
7.2
74'
M
Vini Souza 12.Brazil
7.2
90'
M
Nico Melamed 21.Spain
6.7
46'
F
Martin Braithwaite 17.Denmark
6.6
57'
F
Javi Puado 7.Spain
7.0
Substitutes
G
Joan García 1.Spain
G
Fernando Pacheco 13.Spain
D
Sergi Gómez 24.Spain
6.1
44'
D
Simo Keddari 28.Algeria
D
Rubén Sánchez 27.Spain
6.1
46'
M
José Gragera 15.Spain
90'
M
Denis Suárez 6.Spain
6.3
46'
M
José Carlos Lazo 16.Spain
7.2
69'
M
Edu Expósito 20.Spain
F
Dani Gómez 19.Spain

Espanyol started with a conservative line-up (4-4-2).

The manager Diego Martínez Penas decided to play with the following team: Álvaro Fernández (6.3), Óscar Gil (6.4), Fernando Calero (6.5), Leandro Cabrera (7.2), Brian Oliván (6.8), Aleix Vidal (6.3), Sergi Darder (7.2), Vinícius Souza (7.2), Nicolás Melamed (6.7), Javi Puado (7.0) and Martin Braithwaite (6.6).

The home team had on the bench: José Gragera, Sergi Gómez (6.1), Denis Suárez (6.3), Joan García, Wassim Keddari, José Carlos Lazo (7.2), Dani Gómez, Fernando Pacheco, Ruben Sanchez Saez (6.1) and Edu Expósito.

Substitutions

Espanyol made 5 changes: Fernando Calero for Sergi Gómez (44′), Nico Melamed for Denis Suárez (46′), Óscar Gil for R. Sánchez Sáez (46′), Aleix Vidal for José Carlos Lazo (69′) and Vinicius Souza for José Gragera (90′).

Best player: José Carlos Lazo​

The player that probably impressed the most for Espanyol was José Carlos Lazo.

His rating is (7.2) with 6 passes (66% accurate) and 1 key pass. He was won 2 duels out of 3.

His performance was remarkable also because he started the match from the bench before entering the filed in the 69′.

Real Sociedad – Formation

Real Sociedad
G
Álex Remiro 1.Spain
7.0
D
Diego Rico 15.Spain
6.3
D
Robin Le Normand 24.Spain
6.4
D
Igor Zubeldia 5.Spain
6.8
D
Ander Barrenetxea 7.Spain
7.1
81'
M
Asier Illarramendi 4.Spain
7.0
81'
M
Brais Méndez 23.Spain
6.2
M
Martín Zubimendi 3.Spain
7.1
M
Takefusa Kubo 14.Japan
7.5
23'
F
Alexander Sørloth 19.Norway
7.4
81' 52'
F
Mikel Oyarzabal 10.Spain
7.3
71'
Substitutes
G
Andoni Zubiaurre 13.Spain
G
Unai Marrero 32.Spain
D
Aihen Muñoz 12.Spain
D
Urko González de Zarate 30.Spain
D
Álex Sola 2.Spain
6.7
81'
M
Mikel Merino 8.Spain
6.8
71'
M
Ander Guevara 16.Spain
M
Beñat Turrientes 22.Spain
M
Pablo Marín 42.Spain
6.4
81'
M
Robert Navarro 17.Spain
6.2
71'
F
Ander Martín 28.Spain
F
Carlos Fernández 9.Spain
6.5
81' 90'

Real Sociedad started with a 4-1-3-2 line-up (4-1-3-2).

Imanol Alguacil Barrenetxea played with: Álex Remiro (7.0), Ander Barrenetxea (7.1), Igor Zubeldia (6.8), Robin Le Normand (6.4), Diego Rico (6.3), Martín Zubimendi (7.1), Takefusa Kubo (7.5), Brais Méndez (6.2), Asier Illarramendi (7.0), Alexander Sørloth (7.4) and Mikel Oyarzabal (7.3).

These were the players on the bench: Mikel Merino (6.8), Aihen Muñoz, Ander Martín, Ander Guevara, Beñat Turrientes, Urko González, Carlos Fernández (6.5), Pablo Marín (6.4), Andoni Zubiaurre, Álex Sola (6.7), Unai Marrero and Robert Navarro (6.2).

Substitutions

Real Sociedad made 5 changes: Mikel Oyarzabal for Mikel Merino (71′), Mikel Oyarzabal for Robert Navarro (71′), Alexander Sörloth for Carlos Fernández (81′), Jiri Malik for Pablo Marín Tejada (81′) and Ander Barrenetxea for Alex Sola (81′).

Best player: Takefusa Kubo​

As per our analysis, the most impressive player for Real Sociedad was Takefusa Kubo.

His rating is (7.5) with 1 goal, 34 passes (82% accurate) and 0 key passes. He was won 7 duels out of 15. He performed 3 crosses.

Results of the day

These are the results of the day in the La Liga.​