Barcelona Vs Real Sociedad LIVE Football Score 21 Aug 2022
MATCH INFO
PREDICTION AND WINNING ODDS
ABOUT THE MATCH
Real Sociedad is going head to head with Barcelona starting on 21 Aug 2022 at 20:00 UTC at Reale Arena stadium, San Sebastian city, Spain. The match is a part of the LaLiga.
Real Sociedad host Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday.
Barca were frustrated 0-0 at home against Rayo Vallecano on the opening weekend, while Real Sociedad recorded a solid 1-0 win away to Cadiz.
After finishing sixth in La Liga last season, there is plenty of optimism surrounding Real Sociedad’s chances of pushing for a Champions League qualification spot this season.
Los Txuri-Urdin started last campaign brilliantly before ultimately falling away to the Europa League places, although there is certainly no shame in that for a club which was competing in the second-tier as recently as 2010.
Under Imanol Alguacil‘s tutelage, Real Sociedad have gradually improved since his appointment as head coach in 2018, with the 51-year-old guiding them to a top-half finish in each of his four full seasons in charge.
Last season’s points total of 62 was exactly the same as the prior season, so the clear challenge this time around is to improve on that and try to close the gap on the top four teams in La Liga in the process.
After beating Cadiz 1-0 on the road last weekend through Takefusa Kubo‘s 24th-minute strike, Alguacil’s side have the perfect opportunity to prove they achieve exactly that when they take on Barca at Anoeta Stadium on Sunday.
If Real Sociedad represent calm and steady progression having spent modestly over the years, Barcelona could hardly provide a more stark contrast after yet another busy summer in Catalonia.
Despite amassing significant debt in recent years, president Joan Laporta has spent close to £150m bringing Jules Kounde, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski to the club during the current transfer window, with Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie also joining on big wages having signed on free transfer deals.
Likewise, Eric Garcia could be benched to allow Sergio Araujo to move inside into his favoured central role, with Sergio Roberto the obvious introduction at right-back to provide more natural ability in possession.
In attack, Raphinha and Lewandowski will almost certainly start once again, but Fatigue may be preferred to Ousmane Dembele on the left flank after an extremely bright cameo last time out, especially with Ferran Torres still fighting for full fitness after suffering a foot injury in pre-season.
Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Elustondo, Zubeldia, Le Normand, Munoz; Zubimendi, Mendez, Merino; Silva; Isak, Kubo
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Ter Stegen; Roberto, Christensen, Araujo, Alba; De Jong, Kessie, Pedri; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Fati
