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After their midweek victory away against Inter Milan in the Champions League, Barcelona will return to domestic action when they travel to the Anoeta to take on Real Sociedad in a LaLiga Matchweek 17 fixture.
The two clubs have been among the in-form teams in the league this season and are currently separated by seven points. Barcelona occupy the joint-top spot, while Real Sociedad round up the Champions League places.
Real Sociedad vs Barcelona Head-to-Head
This would be the 51st meeting between the two sides. Barcelona have had the upper hand in the past, having won 32 and drawn 10, leaving Real Sociedad with just eight victories.
Furthermore, the Blaugrana have scored 106 goals in matches between the pair and conceded just 44.
The Basque side have, however, proven to be a boogie team for Barcelona in the past. The Catalans once went 11 years without a league victory at the home of Real Sociedad, until a 2-1 victory in January 2018 broke the 'curse'.
Real Sociedad form guide: D W L D W
Barcelona form guide: W W W W L
Real Sociedad vs Barcelona Team News
Barcelona team news
Coach Ernesto Valverde is still without the services of long-term absentees Ousmane Dembele (hamstring) and Jordi Alba (muscle).
After recently returning from a muscle problem, midfielder Arthur suffered fresh concerns with his adductors, while Nelson Semedo (muscle) could be in line for a return from his one-month layoff soon.
Injuries: Ousmane Dembele, Jordi Alba
Doubtful: Arthur, Nelson Semedo
Suspensions: None
Real Sociedad v Barcelona Predicted XI
Barcelona Predicted XI: Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Junior Firpo, Clement Lenglet, Gerard Pique, Sergi Roberto; Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Ivan Rakitic; Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi
Real Sociedad v Barcelona Match Prediction
Real Sociedad have impressed this season under the management of Imanol Alguacil and currently occupy the fourth position in the league.
They would be eager to reduce the deficit between them and the table-toppers to four points by picking up a victory in the game and Txuri-urdinak would be confident in their abilities, backed by 40,000 vociferous fans in the Anoeta.
For their part, Barcelona have been in emphatic form of late and have won their last four LaLiga fixtures on the trot and posted a morale-boosting victory over the in-form Inter Milan side at the San Siro.
The fact that the win came with a team full of second-string players would have given a boost to the Catalans and they would go all out for a victory against Real Sociedad.
Ernesto Valverde rested a lot of his first-team players for the clash with the Nerazzurri including Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and Sergi Roberto and they would all be fresh and raring to go in the fixture.
Though the hosts would prove an uphill mountain to climb, the Barcelona stars would be buoyed by the extra rest afforded them in midweek and they would go all out for a victory to get in tune for their crunch Clasico clash with Real Madrid.
Also check out: La Liga La Liga fixtures
