From flop to one of La Liga’s best, Umar Sadiq must prove worth against Atletico

Super Eagles forward Umar Sadiq has confirmed his move to La Liga side Real Sociedad in a major moment in his career revitalisation following a calamitous spell at Rangers.

The Nigerian international has hit form for Almeria and it's been enough to prompt the Spanish side to splash out, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, on a package worth around €20m deal plus €6m add-ons, for the forward who joined Rangers on loan from Roma in 2017, scoring zero times over four appearances in six months.

Already this term he has netted twice in three top flight games in Spain for the club he signed for in 2020.

Since leaving Ibrox, Sadiq has spent time out on loan at Perugia and Partizan, who snapped him up permanently.

In his spell in Serbia, the 25-year-old scored 23 times and bagged 19 assists in just 52 appearances.

That form was carried on in Spain where he's netted 43 times and again grabbing 19 assists in 84 matches.

Umar’s side Real Sociedad, who are eighth in the table, will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 victory over Elche, while sixth-placed Atletico were winners by the same scoreline at Valencia in their last match.

Alexander Isak begun for Real Sociedad at Elche on Saturday evening, but the Basque side did not miss the now Newcastle United forward, recording a 1-0 victory at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, with Brais Mendez netting the only goal of the contest in the 20th minute.

Imanol Alguacil's side started their La Liga season with a 1-0 victory at Cadiz before losing 4-1 at home to Barcelona on August 21, and a total of six points from three games has left them in the eighth spot in the table.

Real Sociedad, who will begin their Europa League campaign away to Manchester United next Thursday, finished sixth in La Liga last season, eight points behind fourth-place Sevilla.

The White and Blues are outsiders when it comes to a possible top-four finish this term, but they will be expecting to challenge high up the division with the likes of Sevilla, Real Betis and Villarreal.

Real Sociedad have not actually beaten Atletico in La Liga since September 2019, and the corresponding match between the two sides last term ended in a 2-1 success for Diego Simeone's side.

Atletico, meanwhile, were 1-0 winners at Valencia in their last match on August 29, with Antoine Griezmann netting the only goal in the 66th minute of the contest at Mestalla.

Simeone's team opened their campaign with an impressive 3-0 victory at Getafe, but they lost 2-0 at home to Villarreal one week later, so a total of six points has left them in sixth position in the table.

Atletico will also be in European action next week, beginning their Champions League campaign at home to Porto, but the capital outfit cannot afford to take their eye off the ball in La Liga, especially against a talented Real Sociedad outfit.

The Red and Whites, who have only lost once to their opponents this weekend since April 2018, finished third in La Liga last season, 15 points behind the champions Real Madrid.

Simeone's side will find it tough to launch a serious challenge for the title this season considering Real Madrid's strength and Barcelona's obvious improvement, but they will be expecting to finish as potentially the best of the rest, with the club establishing themselves as a top-four side since 2013.