The two-time champion and winner of the Spanish Cup confidently spent the past season, where they have finished sixth, which led the team to the Europa League. The group tournament “royal” was successful. Two wins and three peaceful outcomes brought nine points and the second position in the standings. The Basques drew in the last three rounds, while in the last game they drew with Napoli (1:1). In the Spanish Premier League Championship Real Sociedad topped the standings for several weeks, but the team ended up in a black streak, which cost them the leading position. For 15 rounds the “white-blue” won seven victories and ended five fights in peace, which brought seven victories and five duels ended in peace. After a series of victories Imanol Alguasil’s wards shared points with Villarreal (1:1), Alaves (0:0), Eibar (1:1). The Basques lost the last two matches with Barcelona (1:2) and Levante (1:2). The gap from today’s opponent and the leader of the tournament is only three points. It is impossible not to note the second result of the team in terms of the quality of defense in the league and the best indicators of attack, which hit the opponent’s goal 25 times. The main sniper of the team is Oyarzabal (seven goals). Hosts have serious losses in today’s match. Can’t help the team Gorosabel, Guridi, Ilyaramendi, Moya, Oyarsabal, Saldua, Sola and Januzaj
Napoli is also experiencing certain difficulties in order to gain a foothold in the top four. Gennaro Gattuso’s team is currently fifth in the table with 23 points in the asset, being just one point behind the fourth Roma. The Neapolitans also took part in European competitions. In their group in the Europa League they took the first line and got to Granada in the playoffs. So far, it hardly makes sense to write “parthenopeans” as contenders for the Scudetto. They lost to direct competitors without a chance. In the eighth round “Napoli” lost 1:3 at home to “Milan” absolutely on the case and in the last match they were already weaker than “Inter”. For Gola Romelu Lukaku it was enough to win from the penalty spot and the Neapolitans finished the game in the minority after the removal of Lorenzo Insigne. Thus, the lag behind the leader of Milan was five points, which are not yet an abyss, but Napoli will have to add in fights with direct competitors.
