The first home match of José Mourinho‘s return to Real Madrid takes place Wednesday afternoon, as Real Madrid host Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabéu in a rescheduled La Liga fixture. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.
Mourinho managed Madrid from 2010 through 2013 before returning to the club this summer, making Wednesday his first match in the Bernabéu dugout in more than 13 years. He began his second tenure with a win over the weekend, although the three points did not come easily.
Jude Bellingham headed Madrid in front during the ninth minute of Saturday’s match at Espanyol, but the hosts equalized before halftime and kept the game tied deep into the second half. Madrid struck the post twice before 20-year-old summer addition Carlos Espí scored in stoppage time to secure a 2-1 victory.
Espí was one of six new Madrid players to make his competitive debut in the opener. Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konaté and Bernardo Silva started, while Marc Cucurella and Yan Diomande joined Espí in coming off the bench.
The extensive changes followed a season in which Madrid finished second in La Liga with 86 points, eight behind Barcelona. The club also exited the Champions League in the quarterfinals and the Copa del Rey in the Round of 16, prompting another managerial change and a significant overhaul of the squad.
Mourinho remains without several players for his home debut. Éder Militão, Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy, Raúl Asencio, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Endrick were not included in Madrid’s squad for Wednesday’s match. Tchouaméni is still working his way back to full fitness after playing through an injury during the World Cup, while Endrick is dealing with tendinitis.
Real Sociedad also enters Wednesday looking for more than it received from its first match. La Real opened its season with a 1-0 loss at Real Betis despite generating several opportunities to equalize. Luka Sučić hit the post, while goalkeeper Álvaro Vallés denied Orri Óskarsson on a clear chance late in the second half.
That result extended Sociedad’s winless run in La Liga to nine matches dating back to last season. The club finished 10th with 46 points but secured a place in the Europa League by defeating Atlético Madrid on penalties in the Copa del Rey final.
Pellegrino Matarazzo remains in charge after taking over in December and guiding Sociedad away from the relegation battle before winning the cup. Mikel Oyarzabal returned as a substitute against Betis and could have a larger role Wednesday, while Gonçalo Guedes and Ander Barrenetxea are also available.
Real Madrid swept last season’s two league meetings, winning 2-1 in San Sebastián before cruising to a 4-1 victory at the Bernabéu in February. Madrid has now won six consecutive La Liga matches against Sociedad entering Mourinho’s homecoming.
Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad Odds Today
Real Madrid is a substantial home favorite for Wednesday’s match on the 3-way moneyline at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook:
- Real Madrid (-425)
- Draw (+550)
- Real Sociedad (+1100)
Best Bet for Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad
Hard Rock Bet’s Stats Hub offers recent team trends, player data and matchup info for every game on the La Liga schedule. One trend that stands out ahead of Wednesday’s match is Real Madrid’s six-game winning streak against Real Sociedad in league play:
Real Madrid Half Time/Full Time (-150): Real Madrid is 30-7-7 against Real Sociedad since 2004, including a 15-3-4 record at the Santiago Bernabéu during that span.
Backing Madrid to win outright comes with a steep -425 price, so we’ll turn to the half-time/full-time market instead. For this wager to cash, Real Madrid must lead at halftime and go on to win the match in regulation.
The Real Madrid/Real Madrid half-time/full-time result cashed in both league meetings last season, including Madrid’s 4-1 victory at the Bernabéu. After needing a stoppage-time goal to escape Espanyol in their opener, Los Blancos should be motivated to take control much earlier in Mourinho’s first home match since returning to the club.
Give us Real Madrid Half Time/Full Time (-150) as our best bet for Wednesday’s match.
Betting Splits at Hard Rock Bet
Hard Rock Bet players are firmly behind Real Madrid this afternoon, with the hosts attracting nearly all of the early action:
- Real Madrid owns 97.2% of all tickets and 98.6% of the handle.
- Real Sociedad has attracted 1.7% of the tickets, accounting for just 1% of the money wagered.
- The draw represents the remaining 1.2% of tickets and 0.4% of the handle.
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props
Real Madrid players occupy the first four spots among Wednesday’s most popular player props, with anytime goalscorer wagers on Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Junior leading the way:
- Kylian Mbappé – Anytime Goalscorer
- Vinícius Junior – Anytime Goalscorer
- Jude Bellingham – Over 1.5 Shots
- Jude Bellingham – Anytime Goalscorer
- Mikel Oyarzabal – Anytime Goalscorer
Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad Match Info
- 📍 Location: Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain
- 📅 Date: Wednesday, August 26
- ⏰ Start Time: 3 p.m. ET
- 📺 Where to Watch: ESPN Deportes and ESPN+
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