Sociedad can create repeated attacks through Oyarzabal's link play, while Levante can threaten an unsettled defence through runners and rebounds. Rio Ave and Famalicao present a separate contest between useful attacking connections and possession that has often ended in poor shots. In both games, the quality of reception matters more than the amount of territory.
Sociedad's recent scoring totals exceed their chance creation, but the supply itself is real: Oyarzabal releases forward runners and the attack can recover the next ball. Levante retain Thiago, Brugué, Romero and Requena as routes into transition attacks. Dela and Bardeli already missed Athletic; Eyong returned and scored from the bench, while Sotelo is only an option for limited minutes. Sociedad's workload is mixed, with several probable entrants lightly used or rested in Europe. I expect sustained home pressure and visiting opportunities after escapes. That's why I'm expecting plenty of goals between Sociedad and Levante.
Rio Ave's Clemmensen, Bezerra and Blesa have combined for meaningful attacking contributions, and Liavas supplied Blesa's cup winner from a corner. Famalicao's possession against Alverca produced few good shots while leaving direct chances at the other end. Gil Dias is now suspended and Mattara remains on the medical list; Aranda and Van Breemen return as options with minutes unconfirmed.
Rio Ave's recent cup game showed that their improvement is still modest. Their active attacking core nevertheless gives them a way to contest Famalicao's territorial spells and grow into the match. That's why I'm siding with Rio Ave to avoid defeat.
