Real Sociedad is riding high on confidence, having recently secured a spot in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, a feat they haven't achieved since their triumphant 2019/20 campaign. Their victory over Celta Vigo (2-1) marked their entry into the semi-finals and marked their third consecutive win across all competitions. The team, led by Imanol Alguacil, is eager to translate this success into La Liga.

However, Real Sociedad's recent league performance has been slightly underwhelming, with just one win in their last five La Liga outings (D3, L1). This has caused a slight setback in their quest to qualify for the Champions League for the second consecutive year. Nevertheless, their fortress at home, where they've suffered defeat only at the hands of Barcelona in 13 league and cup matches this season (W6, D6), provides an optimistic backdrop for resurgence.

In their upcoming fixture, Real Sociedad faces Rayo Vallecano, a team that has a dismal record in their head-to-head matchups, failing to secure a win in the last ten encounters (D5, L5). This unfavorable statistic further dampens the expectations for the visitors, who arrive at Sociedad in search of only their second league victory since mid-October (D4, L5), a form that has left them languishing in the bottom half of the table.

Rayo Vallecano's recent woes include a 2-0 defeat against Las Palmas, prompting their manager, Francisco, to acknowledge that his team is grappling with "anxiety" when playing on home turf. Their struggles at home are in stark contrast to their away form, where they've collected 15 of their 23 points (W4, D3, L3). Remarkably, only second-placed Real Madrid has a better record than Rayo Vallecano in terms of conceding away goals, having let in just eight after the last round.

As the two teams prepare to clash, the spotlight falls on key players. Real Sociedad's goalkeeper, Álex Remiro, has been a standout performer, conceding only two goals in his last nine appearances. His resilience will be pivotal for Real Sociedad's defensive solidity.

In essence, with Real Sociedad's recent successes and Rayo Vallecano's challenges, the hosts enter the match as favorites, particularly buoyed by their strong home record and historical dominance in head-to-head encounters.

皇家社会信心满满，最近他们在国王杯半决赛中获得了一席之地，这是他们自2019/20赛季胜利以来从未取得的成就。他们以2比1战胜维戈塞尔塔，进入了半决赛，并取得了各项赛事的三连胜。这支由伊马诺·阿尔瓜西尔领导的球队渴望将这一成功转化为西甲联赛。

然而，皇家社会最近的联赛表现有点不尽如人意，在最近的五场西甲比赛中只有一场胜利(D3, L1)。这给他们连续第二年的欧冠资格的争夺造成了轻微的挫折。然而，他们在主场的堡垒，他们本赛季只在13场联赛和杯赛中输给了巴塞罗那(W6, D6)，为他们的复苏提供了乐观的背景。

在即将到来的比赛中，皇家社会将面对巴列卡诺队，这支球队在交锋中战绩惨淡，在过去的10次交锋中未能取得胜利(D5, L5)。这一不利的数据进一步打击了客队的期望，他们来到Sociedad只是为了寻求自10月中旬以来的第二次联赛胜利(D4, L5)，这种状态使他们在积分榜上处于下半区。

巴列卡诺最近的困境包括0比2输给拉斯帕尔马斯，这促使他们的经理弗朗西斯科承认，他的球队在主场比赛时正在努力应对“焦虑”。他们在主场的挣扎与客场形成了鲜明的对比，他们在客场得到了23分中的15分(W4, D3, L3)。值得注意的是，只有排名第二的皇家马德里在客场失球方面的记录比巴列卡诺更好，在上一轮之后只丢了8个球。

当两队准备交锋时，焦点落在了关键球员身上。皇家社会门将Álex雷米罗的表现非常出色，在最近的9次出场中只丢了2球。他的韧性将是皇家社会防守稳固的关键。

从本质上讲，考虑到皇家社会最近的成功和巴列卡诺的挑战，东道主进入比赛是最受欢迎的，特别是他们强大的主场战绩和历史上在正面交锋中的优势。