Football Bet of the Day for Saturday features Real Sociedad vs Valencia with Oyarzabal tipped to inspire La Real. Expert analysis and betting tips included. Read on to view the full prediction.
One of our trusted experts, known for his deep knowledge of Spanish football, has picked this game as Today’s Best Bet, and the selection makes plenty of sense.
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⚽ Football Bet of the Day
Valencia vs Real Sociedad
Herrin Kendrick; Sports journalist at BettingTips4You
Real Sociedad to Win | |
2/1 - odds when tipped |  |
Reasoning Real Sociedad are rebuilding under Sergio Francisco and arrive sharper after a positive summer. With home advantage and Valencia still inconsistent, La Real look well placed. Oyarzabal’s leadership and attacking threat can carry them to three points, making a home win the strongest selection on Saturday’s betting card. | |
📈 Three Key Stats Behind Today’s Best Bet
- Real Sociedad have beaten Valencia in three of their last four La Liga meetings.
- Valencia won only 11 league matches in the whole of last season.
- Sociedad lost just once in seven pre-season fixtures this summer.
WHY BETTING WITH WILLIAM HILL? | |
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Rationale:
Our featured bet for Saturday comes from San Sebastián, where Real Sociedad host Valencia in the opening round of the new La Liga campaign. Last season both clubs endured campaigns that fell below expectations, finishing level on points in mid-table. Now, with a fresh season and new faces involved, this encounter offers intrigue and betting value.
Real Sociedad, who had previously established themselves as top-four regulars, slumped to 11th in 2024–25. That represented their poorest league return since 2018 and spelled the end of Imanol Alguacil’s long tenure. His replacement, Sergio Francisco, is tasked with steadying the ship and bringing back the energy that characterised La Real’s earlier years of consistency. He knows the club inside out, having played for them and coached their B team. Early signs are cautiously promising: seven pre-season matches yielded only one defeat, including a credible draw against Bournemouth. Importantly, new signing Gonçalo Guedes brings dynamism to their attack, while Mikel Oyarzabal shoulders responsibility as the focal point up front.
Valencia, meanwhile, remain stuck in a cycle of underachievement. Once regulars in the Champions League, Los Che have now gone six seasons without a top-four finish. Their latest campaign ended in 12th place, with only 11 league victories to their name. Carlos Corberán has been given resources to reshape the squad, with Filip Ugrinic and Arnaut Danjuma arriving to bolster attacking options. Yet inconsistency continues to plague them, and their pre-season showed flashes of both promise and fragility. While a 3-0 win over Torino provided optimism, defeats and uninspiring draws across their schedule raise doubts.
At home, Sociedad boast a strong record historically against Valencia, and their style of football — built around pressing, wide overloads and the creativity of Takefusa Kubo — should stretch a visiting defence that looks vulnerable. La Real also claimed victory in three of the last four league clashes between these sides, including a convincing display last spring.
From a betting perspective, Oyarzabal stands out. The captain is likely to spearhead the attack and is always a reliable source of goals in front of his own supporters. He has the sharpness, movement and clinical edge that can expose Valencia’s new-look back line, which features José Copete making his debut. Oyarzabal’s ability to strike early could tilt the balance in Sociedad’s favour and set the tone for the evening.
Considering Valencia’s away frailties, Sociedad’s pre-season stability and Oyarzabal’s influence, siding with the Basques looks the most sensible option. With confidence rebuilt over the summer and the home support behind them, Real Sociedad should begin the campaign positively.
✅ Best Bet: Real Sociedad to Win
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