Sociedad's central receivers and wide runners face a Lyon side reorganising important roles through the middle. The hosts have produced useful connections against different pressing approaches. Anderlecht–Salzburg presents a different balance, with surviving creators on each side facing changes to midfield cover and defensive coordination.
Soler and Sučić give Sociedad ways to receive beyond the first pressure and release the next runner. The Levante match showed that progression leading to a low cross, followed by another goal from a renewed attack. Oyarzabal's movement and the alternative forward options give Lyon's central defenders several receiving positions to manage.
Lyon retain Nakamura and Abner's left-side connection, but Nuamah and Niakhaté are absent after starting against Angers. Nuamah supplied both linking and finishing, while Niakhaté belonged to the latest central defensive partnership. Sociedad's principal attacking connections remain available in the expected team. I expect their midfield receiving to draw Lyon outward before the next runner attacks the centre, and I'm siding with Real Sociedad to win.
Anderlecht retain Onia Seke's creation alongside Ambros and Stroeykens. Salzburg's recent alternative supply through Barry, Krätzig, Vertessen and Baidoo gives them a direct response against the home midfield, whose recovery defending was exposed at Gent. Each team has players who have actually connected the pass to the next receiver.
Aasgaard is expected to miss out and Koutsoupias is unavailable for Europe after both started the last domestic match. Salzburg lose Boma from their latest defensive unit, while Cvetkovic remains a reported later option for Anderlecht. Röhl's selective pressing points to changing phases rather than constant speed, with the larger spaces emerging as the teams commit support. I'm backing goals in Anderlecht–Salzburg because the remaining attacking relationships can exploit those different phases.
