VILLARREAL. Real Sociedad was ultimately too good for Villarreal with the goal of Mikel Merino (38′), Martín Zubimendi (41′) and Takefusa Kubo (45′).

The match was played at the Estadio de la Cerámica stadium in Villarreal on Saturday and it started at 6:30 pm local time. In front of 19,334 spectators.​ The referee was Mario Melero López assisted by José Luis Martínez Serrato and José Francisco García Lozano. The 4th official was Pol Gòdia Solé. The weather was overcast clouds. The temperature was pleasant at 17.16 degrees Celsius or 62.89 Fahrenheit. The humidity was 40%.​

Match Timeline

Étienne Capoue- Yellow
23'
30'
Beñat Turrientes- sub ->Brais Méndez
38'
Mikel Merino(goal)Takefusa Kubo
41'
Martín Zubimendi(goal)Arsen Zakharyan
45'
Takefusa Kubo(goal)Mikel Merino
Ilias Akhomach- sub ->Adrià Altimira
46'
Alfonso Pedraza- Yellow
49'
59'
Jon Pacheco- sub ->Igor Zubeldia
60'
Martín Zubimendi- Yellow
Alexander Sørloth- sub ->José Luis Morales
74'
78'
Carlos Fernández - sub ->Umar Sadiq
78'
Aihen Muñoz - sub ->Arsen Zakharyan
90'
Ramón Terrats- sub ->Dani Parejo
90'

Standings

Standings
Team
Pts
Pl
Last 5
Real Madrid
90
35
FC Barcelona
76
35
Girona
75
35
Atlético Madrid
70
35
Athletic Club
62
35
Real Betis
55
35
Real Sociedad
54
35
Valencia
48
35
Villarreal
48
35
Getafe
43
35
Deportivo Alavés
42
35
Sevilla
41
35
Osasuna
40
35
Las Palmas
37
35
Mallorca
35
35
Rayo Vallecano
35
35
Celta de Vigo
34
35
Cádiz
29
35
Granada
21
35
Almería
17
35

After this match, Villarreal stays with 16 points like Deportivo Alavés to remain in the 13th place. On the other side, Real Sociedad will has 29 points to hold in the 5th place.

Next matches

In the next match in the La Liga, Villarreal will play away with Real Madrid on the 17th of December with a 15-5 head to head in favor of Real Madrid (15 draws).

Real Sociedad will host Real Betis on the 17th of December with a 11-10 head to head statistic in favor of Real Sociedad (12 draws).

Villarreal – Formation

Villarreal
G
Filip Jørgensen 13.Denmark
6.4
D
Raúl Albiol 3.Spain
6.4
D
Jorge Cuenca 5.Spain
6.4
D
Juan Foyth 8.Argentina
6.8
D
Alfonso Pedraza 24.Spain
7.1
49'
M
Adrià Altimira 26.Spain
6.4
46'
M
Étienne Capoue 6.France
7.7
23'
M
Dani Parejo 10.Spain
7.0
90'
M
Álex Baena 16.Spain
8.2
F
Gerard Moreno 7.Spain
6.6
90'
F
José Luis Morales 15.Spain
6.7
74'
Substitutes
G
Pepe Reina 1.Spain
D
Matteo Gabbia 2.Italy
D
Kiko Femenía 17.Spain
D
Carlos Romero 37.Spain
M
Manu Trigueros 14.Spain
M
Ramón Terrats 20.Spain
90'
F
Ben Brereton 9.Chile
90'
F
Alexander Sørloth 11.Norway
6.8
74'
F
Ilias Akhomach 27.Spain
6.6
46'

Villarreal adopted the conservative line-up (4-4-2).

The manager Marcelino García Toral decided to play with the following team: Filip Jörgensen (6.4), Juan Foyth (6.8), Raúl Albiol (6.4), Jorge Cuenca (6.4), Alfonso Pedraza (7.1), Adrià Altimira (6.4), Étienne Capoue (7.7), Dani Parejo (7.0), Álex Baena (8.2), Gerard Moreno (6.6) and José Luis Morales (6.7).

The home team had on the bench: Pepe Reina, Ilias Akhomach (6.6), Matteo Gabbia, Ben Brereton Díaz, Alexander Sørloth (6.8), Manu Trigueros, Kiko Femenía, Ramón Terrats and Carlos Romero.

Substitutions

Villarreal made 4 changes: Adrià Altimira for Ilias Akhomach (46′), Gerard Moreno for Ben Brereton Díaz (90′), Dani Parejo for Ramón Terrats (90′) and José Luis Morales for Alexander Sørloth (74′).

Player of the match: Álex Baena​

The most impressive player for Villarreal was Álex Baena.

His rating is 8.2 with 34 passes (79% accurate) and 4 key passes. He won 11 duels out of 18. He performed 11 crosses.

Real Sociedad – Formation

Real Sociedad
G
Álex Remiro 1.Spain
8.1
D
Igor Zubeldia 5.Spain
7.0
59'
D
Aritz Elustondo 6.Spain
7.7
D
Kieran Tierney 17.Scotland
7.5
D
Hamari Traoré 18.Mali
7.8
M
Martín Zubimendi 4.Spain
7.8
60' 41'
M
Mikel Merino 8.Spain
8.5
38'
M
Brais Méndez 23.Spain
6.7
30'
M
Arsen Zakharyan 12.Russia
7.5
78'
F
Mikel Oyarzabal 10.Spain
F
Takefusa Kubo 14.Japan
8.7
45'
F
Umar Sadiq 19.Nigeria
7.0
78'
Substitutes
G
Gaizka Ayesa 30.Spain
G
Unai Marrero 32.Spain
D
Álvaro Odriozola 2.Spain
D
Aihen Muñoz 3.Spain
7.0
78'
D
Jon Pacheco 20.Spain
7.0
59'
D
Urko González de Zarate 26.Spain
M
Jon Ander Olasagasti 16.Spain
M
Beñat Turrientes 22.Spain
6.6
30'
M
Jon Magunazelaia 28.Spain
F
Bryan Fiabema 40.Norway
F
Carlos Fernández 9.Spain
6.3
78'
F
André Silva 21.Portugal

Also Real Sociedad adopted the conservative line-up (4-4-2).

Imanol Alguacil Barrenetxea played with: Mikel Oyarzabal, Álex Remiro (8.1), Hamari Traoré (7.8), Aritz Elustondo (7.7), Igor Zubeldia (7.0), Kieran Tierney (7.5), Brais Méndez (6.7), Martín Zubimendi (7.8), Mikel Merino (8.5), Arsen Zakharyan (7.5) and Takefusa Kubo (8.7), Umar Sadiq (7.0).

These were the players on the bench: Álvaro Odriozola, Aihen Muñoz (7.0), Carlos Fernández (6.3), Jon Ander Olasagasti, Jon Pacheco (7.0), André Silva, Beñat Turrientes (6.6), Urko González, Jon Magunazelaia, Gaizka Ayesa, Unai Marrero and Bryan Fiabema.

Real Sociedad could not rely on the presence of Beñat Turrientes (injured).

Substitutions

Real Sociedad made 4 changes: Brais Méndez for Beñat Turrientes (30′), Igor Zubeldia for Jon Pacheco (59′), Arsen Zakharyan for Aihen Muñoz (78′) and Umar Sadiq for Carlos Fernández (78′).

Player of the match: Takefusa Kubo​

The most impressive player for Real Sociedad was Takefusa Kubo.

His rating is 8.7 with 1 goal, 22 passes (91% accurate) and 2 key passes. He won 5 duels out of 11. He performed 6 crosses.

Results of the day

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