Sports Mole previews Saturday’s La Liga clash between Real Sociedad and Barcelona, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Barcelona will be bidding to bounce back from their loss in El Clasico when they continue their 2023-24 La Liga campaign away to Real Sociedad on Saturday evening.
Xavi‘s side were beaten 2-1 at home by division leaders Real Madrid last weekend, while Real Sociedad will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 victory over Bunol in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday night.
Match preview
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Real Sociedad have won five, drawn four and lost two of their 11 La Liga matches this season to collect 19 points, which has left them in fifth position in the table, five points behind fourth-placed Barcelona.
Imanol Alguacil‘s side progressed in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday evening courtesy of a 1-0 success over Bunol, with Carlos Fernandez netting the only goal of the contest in the 67th minute.
Real Sociedad are also going well in the Champions League this season, picking up seven points from their opening three matches against Inter Milan, Red Bull Salzburg and Benfica in Group D to top the section.
The Basque outfit are yet to hit their best form in La Liga this season, though, winning just one of their last three matches, and they will enter this match off the back of a 2-2 draw with Rayo Vallecano last weekend.
Alguacil’s team are unbeaten at home in all competitions this season, winning four of their last five games in front of their own supporters, with all of those victories coming in La Liga.
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Barcelona took the lead against Real Madrid last weekend, with Ilkay Gundogan scoring in the sixth minute of the match, but Jude Bellingham netted twice in the second period to secure all three points for Carlo Ancelotti‘s side.
The defeat was Barcelona’s first in any competition this season, and the Catalan outfit are currently fourth in the table, four points behind leaders Real Madrid.
Xavi’s side cannot afford too many slip-ups in the coming weeks if they are to stay in touch, and the club have managed to ease their injury list at the perfect time, as they have three important games against Real Sociedad, Shakhtar Donetsk and Alaves before the November international break.
Barcelona are in an excellent position in their Champions League group, picking up nine points from three matches, which has left them at the head of Group H, six clear of third-placed Shakhtar.
The reigning champions suffered a 2-1 defeat to Real Sociedad when the two teams last locked horns in the league back in May, but the Catalan side have not lost to the White and Blues away from home since April 2016, which is an impressive record considering the strength of the hosts.
Real Sociedad La Liga form:
Real Sociedad form (all competitions):
Barcelona La Liga form:
Barcelona form (all competitions):
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Team News
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Real Sociedad will again be without the services of Andre Silva, Kieran Tierney and Martin Merquelanz for this weekend’s contest with the reigning La Liga champions.
Ander Barrenetxea, meanwhile, was forced off against Rayo in the league last time out with a head injury and is therefore a doubt, but he should be cleared to start on Saturday evening.
As expected, there were wholesale changes for Wednesday’s Copa del Rey contest, but the big-hitters will be back for this match, with Mikel Oyarzabal set to operate through the middle, while Takefusa Kubo and Aihen Munoz will also be among those to return to the XI.
As for Barcelona, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha both made their injury returns off the bench against Real Madrid last weekend, and the pair could now come in for starts here, while Pedri is also back in the squad.
Jules Kounde is also in contention, having returned to the bench in El Clasico, but Frenkie de Jong is still absent despite being back in training ahead of the game with Los Blancos.
Experienced midfielder Sergi Roberto, meanwhile, is definitely out with a calf problem.
Oriol Romeu could potentially come back into midfield for this contest, while Fermin Lopez and Ferran Torres may drop out to allow Lewandowski and Raphinha to feature in the final third.
Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Traore, Zubeldia, Le Normand, Munoz; Mendez, Zubimendi, Merino; Kubo, Oyarzabal, Barrenetxea
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Ter Stegen; Cancelo, Araujo, Kounde, Balde; Gavi, Romeu, Gundogan; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Felix
We say: Real Sociedad 1-2 Barcelona
This is a really tough match for Barcelona, and it would not be a surprise to see the champions drop points here, with Real Sociedad boasting quality all across the park. Barcelona need to win, though, and we are backing Xavi’s side to navigate their way to a narrow success at the Reale Arena.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
