La Real aspires to snatch the lead from Monaco

The Real Sociedad aspires this Thursday to snatch the group lead from Monaco, which the San Sebastian team will achieve at the Reale Arena with a victory, and provided that PSV does not achieve a wider result against Sturm Graz in Austria. The Gipuzkoan team is the favorite to beat Monegasque in their stadium, but faces the second day of the Europa League with significant losses, such as those of Alexander Isak, David Silva or Nacho Monreal.

Imanol Alguacil’s team already defeated Monaco in their stadium two months ago in preseason (2-1), without Isak, in a game with numerous changes decided by the now Betis forward Willian José, after Januzaj opened the marker. Precisely, Januzaj and Isak were the authors of the goals in the first day of the Europa League against PSV in Eindhoven (2-2), and the Belgian striker is fighting for a position at the top of the attack with Lobete, a youth squad that in the League he is second to a single point behind the leader and that in the continent he has already taken a first step to overcome the group stage.

The second must be given by Real against a Monaco that has been recovering after a doubtful start to the season. Now they have two consecutive wins and, after beating Sturm by the minimum at home (1-0), they will fight for at least a draw that will allow them to stay at the head of a difficult group. Monaco has the doubts of Cesc Fàbregas and Krépin Diatta and, in principle, their biggest threat up front will be ex-Sevilla player Ben Yedder.