Real Sociedad vs Benfica Match Stats Preview

Real Sociedad vs Benfica Match Stats Preview

Real Sociedad won 1-0 in their only previous meeting with Benfica (on MD3), while the only side they’ve beaten twice in the same European Cup/UEFA Champions League campaign was Vikingur Reykjavík back in the 1982-83 edition (1-0 away and 3-2 at home).

Benfica have avoided defeat in each of their last three away games against Spanish sides in the UEFA Champions League, drawing 0-0 against Barcelona in December 2012 and November 2021, along with a 2-1 victory against Atlético de Madrid in September 2015.

Real Sociedad are unbeaten in the UEFA Champions League this season (W2 D1), winning each of the last two. If they win this match, they will equal their longest ever winning run in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, recorded back in September-October 1982 (3).

Benfica have only lost one of their last nine away games in the UEFA Champions League (W4 D4), although that one defeat did come on their most recent trip, losing 1-0 at Internazionale. They haven’t lost consecutive away games in the competition since November 2019 (a run of four).

Real Sociedad are looking for their first home win in the UEFA Champions League since September 2003, in what was their first ever game in the competition (1-0). Since then, they are winless in seven home matches (D4 L3), and have scored just two goals in this period.

Benfica have lost all three of their games in the UEFA Champions League this season, without scoring a single goal. Only once previously have they suffered a longer losing run in the competition, with eight consecutive defeats between March 2017 and September 2018 under Rui Vitória.

Prior to the start of the current UEFA Champions League campaign – where Benfica have lost all three matches – manager Roger Schmidt had been unbeaten in 14 straight games in the group stage (W6 D8). If his Benfica side lose here, he’ll have lost as many in his last four as in his first 24 group stage matches in the competition combined (W10 D10 L4).

No team have generated more high turnovers (34) or shots after high turnovers (9) than Real Sociedad in the UEFA Champions League this season. Meanwhile, Benfica are the team who have conceded the most shots (38) and goals (8) goals following high turnovers this term.

Benfica have had 31 shots and hit the target 13 times in their three UEFA Champions League games this season, but are still looking for their first goal of 2023-24. The Portuguese side scored 26 goals in 10 games in the competition last season, at an average of 2.6 per game.

Brais Méndez has scored in all three of his UEFA Champions League appearances for Real Sociedad this season (three goals). The last Spanish player to score in four consecutive games for a Spanish side in the competition was Diego Costa for Atlético Madrid in March 2014 (a run of five).