Karim Benzema has shouldered Real Madrid’s goalscoring burden since Cristiano Ronaldo left — making the Frenchman’s absence a significant blow to Los Blancos’ faltering frontline.
Zinedine Zidane’s side got lucky without their No9 against Atalanta in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, when Remo Freuler’s 18th-minute red card gifted Real the upper hand.
Even then, it took a stunning long-range strike from Ferland Mendy four minutes from time for the visitors to make the most of their advantage.
How will Madrid fare against Real Sociedad tonight without their leading marksman?
Benzema in numbers
Nothing highlights how crucial Benzema, 33, is to Madrid more than the percentage of their goals he has scored — the Frenchman’s 12 league strikes represent just under 29% of Real’s 42 LaLiga goals this season.
That might matter less if Zidane’s outfit were leading the division’s scoring charts but both Barcelona (55) and Atletico Madrid (47) have both found the net more times in 2020-21.
Just before Christmas, Zidane agreed when asked if it was the best stretch of the striker’s career.
He said: "I think so, yes. Most recently he's been in his best form. What he's doing recently, he's been phenomenal.
"What's yet to come? I think Karim can even get better than he is now — that's what we all hope for the team and for him personally.
Can Casemiro come up with the goods?
Real’s next highest scorer is a defensive midfielder, which perhaps indicates how much Benzema (pictured above) carries the team’s attack.
Casemiro has five league goals to his name this season, primarily because of his remarkable aerial ability from set-pieces and crosses into the box.
Four of those goals have been headers, so corners and free-kicks delivered high into the penalty area could be a potential source of goals against Sociedad.
Shoot from range
Zidane will be hoping Mendy’s team-mates can replicate his long-range shooting in tonight’s clash.
Sociedad do not allow many shots against them (just 7.58 per 90 minutes on average this term) but they are particularly efficient at stopping opponents from shooting inside the box — no other side in LaLiga has allowed less than their record of 4.79 per game.
Accurate efforts from distance may be the best way to breach the Basque side’s backline.
A counter-attacking threat
Fifth-place Sociedad press remarkably high up the pitch and have won back possession in the attacking third more times (5.67 per 90 minutes) than everyone except Eibar (6.16).
Luckily, Madrid are perfectly placed to exploit the high line.
They are inside LaLiga’s top two teams for both long passes (38.04) and take-ons (12.79) completed per match, so are well suited to a counter-attacking style.
Isco or Diaz?
There was some surprise when midfielder Isco was chosen to lead the line in Benzema’s absence against Atalanta.
But the 28-year-old had a significant impact on that match, playing a part in the move that led to Freuler’s dismissal and flashing a shot wide of the left post late in the first half.
Zidane now has to choose whether to continue with Isco as a false nine or play a more natural forward in Mariano Diaz — though the latter has not scored since late November.
But with a superior expected goals record per 90 minutes (0.27 vs 0.18) this season, Diaz, 27, may prove to be the smarter choice against Sociedad.
Without their talismanic striker, Real are going to need all the help they can get.
