Real Sociedad earned a point from a goalless draw against Celta de Vigo in the third matchday of La Liga EA Sports. The tactical battle, played on Thursday 3 September 2026 at the Reale Arena, produced few clear-cut chances. The result leaves John Maisano's side in 13th place in the standings, with three points from a possible nine and a record of one win and two losses.
La Real started the match with more possession but lacked a cutting edge. Their best chance of the first half came in the 20th minute, when Takefusa Kubo fired over the bar after good work from Mikel Oyarzabal. The Basque defence, with Álvaro Aramburu and Jon Martín at the back, held firm and denied Celta any real opportunities before the break. The visitors improved markedly after half-time, controlling more of the ball and creating danger on the counter-attack, including one led by Antañón.
How did the substitutions affect the game?
John Maisano made his first changes just after the hour mark. He brought on Luka Sučić and Gorrotxategi for Kubo and Yangel Herrera respectively. Later, Gonçalo Guedes and Pablo Marchal also came on for Ander Barrenetxea and Óskarsson. Celta, for their part, introduced Iago Aspas and Durán to try and add more fluidity to their play, and also saw the official debut of Oussama Driouech. Referee Víctor García Verdura booked Yangel, Sučić, Yoel Lago, Marcos Alonso and Driouech himself.
The most controversial moment of the match arrived in the 76th minute. Gonçalo Guedes, who had just come on, went down in the area after contact with Núñez. The referee did not award a penalty and, after a quick VAR check, stuck with his initial decision. The game, described as a chess battle, finished scoreless. "A goalless draw between Real Sociedad and Celta on a night where you could have expected any result except the one that happened," said journalist Jorge Serrano.
What is Real Sociedad's current league position?
Following this draw, Real Sociedad sit 13th in the La Liga standings, with three points. The team has scored three goals and conceded six in their first three games, resulting in a negative three goal difference. They are six points behind leaders Barcelona. The next challenge on the schedule is a trip to face Elche, who currently occupy 19th place, on Monday 7 September. You can check all the squad details on our team page.
What is expected from the next match against Elche?
The away fixture against Elche represents an opportunity for La Real to secure their second win of the season and start climbing the table. The green-striped side arrives at the match in a difficult situation, which does not make them an easy opponent. John Maisano will have to analyse the match statistics from the Celta game, available in our stats section, to fine-tune the team's offensive output. The final action of the match at Anoeta was a tackle from Carlos Soler, who had replaced Beñat Turrientes in the 88th minute.
