Real Sociedad vs. Barcelona: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
The Champions League can wait for now as, after suffering a surprising defeat in last weekend’s Clasico, Barcelona will need to keep an eye on preserving their lead at the top of the Primera Liga table.
The midweek come-from-behind victory over Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final has set things up nicely for next week’s second leg, but Luis Enrique can’t afford to take his eye off the ball away to a mid-table Real Sociedad side.
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Following a run of five matches without a win, Eusebio Sacristan’s men earned an impressive 2-1 victory at Sevilla last weekend—a result made even more impressive by the fact that they played the final 22 minutes of that match with 10 men.
They’ll need to keep 11 on the pitch to beat Barca; the Anoeta has proved to be a difficult place for the Catalans to visit in recent years, with defeats there in their last two visits and remarkably no wins there in their last six.
Date: Saturday, April 9
Time: 7.30 p.m. GMT/2.30 p.m. ET
Venue: Anoeta, Sociedad
TV Guide: Sky Sports 5
Live Stream: Sky Sports
Last 6 Results
Real Sociedad
Drew 1-1 vs. Malaga
Lost 3-0 vs. Atletico Madrid
Drew 1-1 vs. Levante
Lost 1-0 vs. Celta Vigo
Lost 1-0 vs. Las Palmas
Won 2-1 vs. Sevilla
Barcelona
Won 4-0 vs. Eibar
Won 6-0 vs. Getafe
Won 3-1 vs. Arsenal
Drew 2-2 vs. Villarreal
Lost 2-1 vs. Real Madrid
Won 2-1 vs. Atletico Madrid
Team News
Real Sociedad
Markel Bergara’s red card in the win over Sevilla last weekend means that he’s suspended here, and the midfielder could be replaced in the starting lineup by the former Real Madrid and Queens Park Rangers man Esteban Granero.
Aside from that—and the injuries to Oier Olazabal, Joseba Zaldua, Raul Navas, Sergio Canales and Imanol Argirretxe—Sacristan will have no qualms about going with a similar lineup to the one that triumphed last weekend, with Carlos Vela starting on his own up front.
Possible XI: Rulli, C. Martinez, Reyes, I. Martinez, Berchiche, Prieto, Granero, Illarramendi, Oyarzabal, Zurutuza, Vela.
Barcelona
Luis Enrique will be eyeing up the second leg of the Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid in midweek, but he isn’t likely to make many changes to his "gala" lineup as he seeks to put La Liga title to bed.
The front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar are all likely to play, with Enrique doubtless hoping to be able to withdraw one or more of them before the 90 minutes are up.
Possible XI: Bravo, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta, Messi, Suarez, Neymar.
Key Players
Real Sociedad: Inigo Martinez
A player who once threatened to break into the Spain setup and stay there, it hasn’t quite happened just yet at international level for centre-back Inigo Martinez, whose one international cap came back in 2013.
The 24-year-old has been a mainstay of the Real Sociedad defence since 2011, and he’ll know if he can keep Barca’s magical front three in any way quiet, then he’ll have done a good job.
Barcelona: Luis Suarez
He played close to the edge throughout the game, but Luis Suarez’s two strikes in the midweek win over Atletico Madrid took his tally to a remarkable 45 for the season as he continues to scale new heights.
Playing as the furthest forward of the front three, he has proven almost impossible to stop for the vast majority of this season, and he’ll once again be crucial to how Barca fare here.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Real Sociedad – 6/1
Barcelona – 2/5
Draw – 4/1
