Madrid eye La Liga summit as Arbeloa’s winning machine meets unbeaten Sociedad

Real Madrid will have the chance to go top of La Liga on Saturday night when they welcome an in-form Real Sociedad side to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Los Blancos start the weekend one point behind leaders Barcelona, who do not play until Monday, meaning three points would briefly put Alvaro Arbeloa’s side in control.

Madrid have made a habit of doing their part in recent weeks, winning each of their last seven league matches to keep the pressure on.

Last weekend’s 2-0 victory over Valencia was another example of how efficiently they have been getting the job done, even without a settled defence.

It was also a timely win after their Copa del Rey campaign ended in the last 16, leaving them with a clearer schedule than usual.

Real have been strong at home all season, collecting 30 points from 11 La Liga matches at the Bernabéu.

They also have recent history on their side, having beaten Real Sociedad 2-1 in the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign.

Real Sociedad’s last league win at the Bernabéu came in January 2019, and they have not beaten Real in any competition since May 2023.

However, the visitors arrive in Madrid with a level of confidence that suggests this will not be a routine evening.

Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side are unbeaten in 11 matches across all competitions, winning eight of those games.

That run has reignited their league campaign after an inconsistent start and has also carried them into the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Real Sociedad beat Athletic Bilbao 1-0 in the first leg on Wednesday, a result that underlined both their discipline and their growing belief.

In La Liga, they have won four of their last five matches, including a 3-1 success over Elche, and they are now firmly back in the European conversation.

They sit eighth, only three points behind sixth-placed Espanyol, with momentum building at the perfect time.

Their away record remains the main concern, but their current rhythm suggests they are capable of making this uncomfortable for anyone.

For Madrid, the challenge is clear.

If they want to take advantage of Barcelona’s later kick-off and move top, they will need to be sharp, patient and ruthless.

Real Sociedad are arriving with form, structure and confidence, and they will test every part of Real’s game.

This is the kind of fixture that can define a title chase, and Real cannot afford to treat it like just another win in a good run.