Barcelona will try to continue their brilliant goalscoring form as they welcome the Basque side Real Sociedad to Camp Nou in the Round 13 of La Liga. Barcelona won their midweek clash against Roma with an easy 6-1, with Lionel Messi scoring two and assisting for another goal to show he is back on track. The Catalans look unstoppable at the moment as they trashed Real Madrid in the last round and, led by their attacking ‘MSN’ trio, created a comfortable gap at the top of the table. Real Sociedad is the next opponent for Luis Enrique’s side, and although the Basque club looked fairly well under Eusebio Sacristan in their victory against Sevilla last week, it’s hard to believe they stand a chance at Camp Nou against such a formidable opponent.
Of course, they won’t go down so easily – La Real know they deserve better than a current 14th place, and, as Sergio Canales put it, they ‘hope to play a good match against Barcelona, who are currently a team in the best form in the world’. Returns of Oier and Oyarzun, although they are not a regular first team players, could boost the Basque side and give Sacristan some breathing space. However, Asier Illaramendi will be suspended, and Jonathas, Zurutuza and Zaldua remain injured.
As for Barcelona, they are still without Douglas and Rafinha, and fitness of Javier Mascherano, who was lightly injured in El Clasico match, is yet to be tested.
Head to Head:
Out of 170 total matches between Barcelona and Real Sociedad, the Catalans have won 96, a staggering 56%. In the Round 36 of the last season Blaugrana won 2-0 over David Moyes’ Real to mark their last meeting at Camp Nou.
Match facts:
- Barcelona have won their last 17 La Liga games at Camp Nou against Real Sociedad, keeping ten clean sheets in that streak.
- Indeed, Real Sociedad have defeated Barca fewer than any other side with 68+ games against them away from home (3).
- Barca have won their last five league games, scoring an average of 3.4 goals per game and conceding just 0.6.
- Blaugrana have gone 13 home league games without a loss (W12 D1), their best run with a single manager since 2012/2013 under Vilanova (19).
- The Basque side have alternated wins and defeats in their last five away games in La Liga and they lost their last trip against Las Palmas.
- Only Real Madrid (321) have made more crosses than Real Sociedad (317) in La Liga this season.
- Luis Enrique’s side have the highest rate of goals scored in the second half of games in La Liga this season (76%).
- Thanks to Luis Suarez (eight points) and Neymar (five) goals, Barcelona have claimed 13 out of their 30 points in La Liga this season.
Team news:
Barcelona: Injured – Douglas, Rafinha; Doubtful – Mascherano.
Real Sociedad: Injured – Zurutuza, Zaldua, Jonathas; Suspended – Illarramendi; Doubtful – Raul Navas.
From : SS.com
