Real Sociedad vs Real Zaragoza preview - Prieto hopes for home comforts

Posted Wednesday, May 11, 2011 by PA

Real Sociedad midfielder Xabi Prieto is hoping home advantage will be a deciding factor in the clash with fellow relegation candidates Real Zaragoza.

Sociedad currently sit 15th in the table, two places and two points ahead of Zaragoza who are outside of the relegation zone only by virtue of a better head-to-head record than 18th-placed Deportivo La Coruna.

Former Spain Under-21 international Prieto claims his side will be looking to attack from the off at the Anoeta where Sociedad have won 10 times in the league this season, the fifth best home record in the division.

"We need to win a game soon and we will try to make that Zaragoza - we will go for the win from the first minute," he said.

"Why can't we get the 11th (home) victory that would almost give us salvation?"

Prieto also acknowledged how tight the battle for survival was becoming, and offered his opinion on how many points are likely to be required to guarantee safety.

"There is so much equality between the teams at the bottom it seems that now they'll need 44 points," he added.

Zaragoza are even more desperate to move towards that figure and pull away from the bottom three.

Zaragoza's form has fluctuated in recent weeks after a memorable 3-2 win against Real Madrid was followed up by a 3-1 home reverse against Osasuna.

However ahead of their trip to San Sebastian their coach Javier Aguirre has attempted to take the pressure off his team by claiming the result will not be "conclusive".

"Our team is very much still alive," he told the club's official website.

"We must continue depending on ourselves, the points tomorrow are important but not conclusive.

"There are three more games, three teams below us and we depend on ourselves."