Real Sociedad face Real Madrid on Friday night at Anoeta, and it looks as if they will have one of their stars back from injury and highly motivated. Takefusa Kubo has been in and out of the side in recent weeks, including spending two games on the bench entirely due to muscular discomfort, but is due to start against his former club.
The 22-year-old has struggled to replicate his first half of the season form, and in part due to those physical issues, but also fatigue after traveling for the Asian Cup in January and February. Marca point out that he has jsut one goal in his last 11 appearances, dating back to before his time with Japan, and has not scored in Donostia-San Sebastian for seven months.
Carlo Ancelotti is set to shuffle his pack against Real Sociedad on Friday.
Kepa, Fran Garcia, Eder Militao, Lucas Vazquez, Dani Ceballos, Brahim, Arda Guler and Joselu are all set to start, as per Diario AS.#RealMadrid #RealSociedad pic.twitter.com/FJysCuGw3B
— Football España (@footballespana_) April 23, 2024
While his job is also creation, there is no doubt that there has been a dip in recent months. Real Sociedad themselves are not foreign to dips in February and March, but there is no doubt Kubo’s has had a visible impact on them. In the final six games, he will try to surpass his total of nine goals from last season, which he is two away from currently.
Kubo’s first 45 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu are some of the best in La Liga this season, and he may well be going up against a rotated Real Madrid ahead of their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich next week. As per Diario AS, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Fran Garcia, Eder Militao, Lucas Vazquez, Dani Ceballos, Brahim Diaz, Arda Guler and Joselu Mato are all in line for starts in Gipuzkoa.
