Today at 2:45 p.m. ET, Real Sociedad and Bayer Leverkusen go head-to-head in UEFA Champions League Group A action live from Estadio Anoeda in Spain. The game can be live streamed here.
Leverkusen captain Simon Rolfes has been adamant that the team has put its 5-0 loss to Manchester United behind them as the team looks to defeat Sociedad to reach the last 16 of the Champions League. A loss to Sociedad, would dash Leverkusen's hopes of notching the second spot in Group A.
"There's no thoughts of revenge, all we're thinking about is going through," Rolfes told ESPN.
The team is confident coming off of Saturday's 1-0 win at Borussia Dortmund.
"We're making the trip with a good feeling," said the club's director of sport Rudi Voller on his club's website. "All we've got to do is focus on ourselves. It's going to be a tough enough game, but when you've got the wind between your sails, you've got to make the most of it."
Team general manager Michael Schade expects his team to get the job done and for United to help Leverkusen out by beating Shakhtar.
"I don't think even a club like Manchester United has any interest in playing a side like Bayern Munich or anybody of that calibre in the knockout stages," Schade said at Cologne airport. "I'm absolutely convinced that United will do all they can to win the group.
Coach Sami Hyypia takes a healthy squad with him into the game which will give them hope of having a positive outcome.
Sociedad enters play knowing that after one draw and four losses through five games in the Champions League, the team is exiting the competition no matter what.
"Motivation for tomorrow comes naturally," said coach Jagoba Arrasate at a press conference on Monday, according to ESPN. "The team will do all they can to end the group stage on a high. We deserved to get more points than we have, but what we deserved doesn't matter. We know that it's is an important game that we want to win."
Goalkeeper Enaut Zubikarai and defender Jose Angel are both expected to be thrust into the action for the first time.
Both teams look to win but only one will this afternoon in Spain.
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