Real Sociedad vs RB Salzburg Prediction: Txuri-Urdin eye up top spot

Real Sociedad have already secured qualification to the Champions League knockout stages but top spot is still up for grabs in Group D and they will be hoping to take a step towards first place on Wednesday.

With the top two already confirmed, RB Salzburg are playing for a chance of third place and progression to the Europa League but they could struggle in San Sebastian.

Team news

Real Sociedad will be without two players here, with attacking duo Martin Merquelanz and Carlos Fernandez both sidelined with knee injuries.

RB Salzburg’s injury crisis shows no signs of abating and they head to Spain without nine players. Bryan Okoh, Lukas Wallner, Dijon Kameri, Aleksa Terzic, Oumar Solet, Mauritz Kjaergaard, Fernando, Andreas Ulmer and Samson Baidoo are all out injured for the visitors.

Real Sociedad to win & over 1.5 goals @ 8/11  

Real Sociedad may be struggling to keep pace with the top four in La Liga but they are enjoying a fantastic return to the Champions League after a decade-long absence.

The Basque club are unbeaten in Group D, opening the campaign with a draw against group-favourites Inter Milan before winning three successive games. With qualification to the knockout stages secured with two games to spare, Imanol Alguacil will now focus his attention on top spot in the group.

That is likely to come down to the final round of games as they travel to Milan, but they should be able to keep themselves in the running with a win over a RB Salzburg side that have lost three of their four group-stage matches.

The visitors have only taken points off a struggling Benfica side and have been beaten by Real Sociedad already. Six of these teams’ combined eight group games have seen at least two goals scored, so expect a relatively high-scoring home win on Wednesday.

Mikel Oyarzabal to score & Igor Zubeldia to be carded @ 6/1 

Real Sociedad favourite Mikel Oyarzabal is the side’s top scorer this season with nine goals in 18 competitive games and he can continue his fine form on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old scored in the reverse fixture in Austria last month and he has scored five goals in his last six appearances for club and country.

Fellow Basque Country-native Igor Zubeldia could find himself on the wrong side of the referee, though. The central defender has picked up seven bookings in 17 outings this season and has found himself in the referee’s notebook in three of his last six outings.

Match Odds

Real Sociedad are odds-on favourites at 1/2 for Wednesday’s meeting with RB Salzburg, with the visitors priced up at 11/2 and a draw at 10/3.

Both teams to score is a toss-up, with both sides of the coin priced at 5/6, while over 2.5 goals is 8/11 and under 2.5 goals is evens.

Football betting tips, from Betfred Insights