PREVIEW: Real Sociedad v FC Barcelona

After the excellent 2-1 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, Barça are back in La Liga action this Saturday with a trip to San Sebastián to take on Real Sociedad. The blaugranes face their final away fixture of 2019 on Saturday at 4pm CET against a Basque side who are riding high in La Liga. The game also comes just four days before next Wednesday's La Liga Clásico against Real Madrid. 

Real Sociedad

For Barça to make sure of going into the clash with Real Madrid, they will have to take all three points against Real Sociedad. The team coached by Imanol Alguacil are fourth in the table on 27 points, just seven behind the blaugranes, however, the txuri-urdin have won just one of their last four matches in La Liga and were held to goalless draw by Valladolid away from home on their last outing. Their main threat up front is Brazilian striker Willian José who has scored 7 goals so far in La Liga this season. La Real also have a highly creative midfield with Odegaard, Oyarzabal and Portu having provided four assists each so far in the 2019/20 campaign.  

History

Barça overall against Real Sociedad: 81 wins, 31 draws, 32 defeats. 

Last meeting: Week 33, 2018/19 season -  Barça 2 Real Sociedad 1 (Lenglet, Jordi Alba - Juanmi) 

Run: Barça went seven games without a win at Anoeta in the league until victories in 2017/18 (4-2) and 2018/19 (2-1). 

To bear in mind

- Real Sociedad have lost their last five games against Barça in La Liga. 

- Leo Messi has scored 13 goals in 19 matches against la Real in the league. 

- Former Real Sociedad player Antoine Griezmann returns to San Sebastián for the very first time as a blaugrana.  

The squad for the trip to Real Sociedad

Ter Stegen, N. Semedo, Piqué, I. Rakitic, Sergio, Todibo, Suárez, Messi, Neto, Lenglet, Griezmann, Jordi Alba, Aleñá, S. Roberto, F. De Jong, Vidal, Umtiti, C. Pérez and Ansu Fati. Wague and Junior are left out and Arthur and Dembélé are still missing due to injury.