Barcelona vs Real Sociedad Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Barcelona have been thrilling to watch this season and that continued in midweek against Atletico Madrid as the Blaugrana now welcome a frustrating Real Sociedad side to Catalonia.
Kick-off date/time: Saturday 1st March, 2025: UK – 5:30pm / US ET – 12:30pm / US PT – 9:30am
How to watch on TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so Barcelona vs Real Sociedad may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN+
Barcelona Preview: Entertaining Blaugrana
Hansi Flick’s entertainers come into this one on the back of a thrilling 4-4 draw with Atletico Madrid in the first-leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final. They went 2-0 down early in that game but quickly brought it back to 2-2, went 4-2 up and then succumbed to a late Atleti comeback.
That thriller is a good representation of how open and attacking Flick has his Barcelona side playing with the Catalans having now scored a staggering 120 goals in just 39 matches across all competitions so far this season.
Real Sociedad Preview: La Real’s irritations
Imanol Aguacil has come under a fair bit of pressure this season as Real Sociedad sit firmly in the middle-of-the-table. The Basque giants most recently suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Real Madrid in the first-leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final with Endrick scoring an early winner.
La Real have been improved in the last month or so of late with five victories in their last seven matches across all competitions but, in the league, they have managed just three wins in nine matches, including a 3-0 defeat of struggling Leganes last weekend.
Barcelona Team News: Christensen edging closer
Robert Lewandowski was among those rested in midweek but will come back into the starting eleven here. Andreas Christensen is still an injury doubt but is still edging closer to fitness with both Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Marc Bernal both sidelined.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Alex Balde; Pedri, De Jong; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Unavailable: Ter Stegen (Injured), Marc Bernal (Injured)
Questionable: Christensen (Injured)
Real Sociedad Team News: Several suspensions
Real Sociedad are having to deal with several suspensions for this weekend such as Nayef Ageurd, Takefusa Kubo and Sheraldo Becker. As well as that, they have key injuries to the likes of Luka Sucic and Arsen Zakharyan.
Predicted XI (4-1-4-1): Alex Remiro; Jon Aramburu, Aritz Elustondo, Aihen Munoz, Javi Lopez; Martin Zubimendi; Ander Barrenetxea, Joan Olasagasti, Pablo Marin, Sergio Gomez; Oskarsson
Unavailable: Ageurd (Suspended), Jon Pacheco (Injured), Sucic (Injured), Zakharyan (Injured), Kubo (Suspended), Becker (Suspended)
Questionable:
Barcelona vs Real Sociedad Prediction
Barcelona have a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against Benfica beginning with the first-leg at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon in midweek so that could be a distraction but the same can be said for Real Sociedad, who face Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League, albeit they don’t have to travel for the first-leg. However, with mid-table mediocrity likely for the visitors so their focus on the cups, Barca, in an intense and thrilling title race, will be expected to simply run through a vulnerable and fragile, blunt Real Sociedad side.
Barcelona vs Real Sociedad Tip: Barcelona to win
