Real Betis VS Real Sociedad

The first - round match of La Liga takes place at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium. Real Betis, a seasoned powerhouse, hosts Real Sociedad, a strong Basque team. This game presents three major attractions: the clash between technical ball - possession styles, the competition for Champions League spots, and the tactical battle between new and old coaches. Real Betis, under the guidance of Pellegrini for seven years, has a well - established system. In pre - season friendlies, they defeated two giants, Lyon and Arsenal. Finishing fifth in La Liga last season, they secured a Champions League spot and are aiming to maintain their European campaign. On the other hand, Real Sociedad, the winner of the Copa del Rey last season, has a new coach, Matarazzo. However, they've suffered a significant loss of key players, endured three consecutive defeats in pre - season warm - ups. There's a structural vacancy at the right - back position, and their key winger for counter - attacks, Gedes, is out injured. This leaves obvious weaknesses in both defense and attack. The confrontation between the possession - based positional play and the high - speed wing counter - attacks is intense. Factors such as injuries, starting motivation, and historical head - to - head records all add to the uncertainty of this game.