Real Sociedad vs Barcelona: On November 10, 2024, Real Sociedad will face Barcelona in an exciting La Liga matchup at Reale Arena in San Sebastian, Spain. Barcelona leads La Liga with 33 points from 12 games, while Real Sociedad sits 11th with 15 points. Barcelona has demonstrated attacking prowess, boasting a +29 goal difference, while Real Sociedad’s performance has fluctuated, leading to their mid-table position.
Head-to-Head Record
- Total Matches Played: 62
- Barcelona Wins: 41
- Real Sociedad Wins: 9
- Draws: 12 Barcelona has historically dominated this fixture, winning most of their encounters, including four of the last five games. However, Real Sociedad is known to put up a challenge, especially at home, where they’ve secured eight wins in the last 30 meetings.
Last 5 Meetings
- May 14, 2024: Barcelona 2-0 Real Sociedad (La Liga)
- November 5, 2023: Real Sociedad 0-1 Barcelona (La Liga)
- May 21, 2023: Barcelona 1-2 Real Sociedad (La Liga)
- January 26, 2023: Barcelona 1-0 Real Sociedad (Copa del Rey)
- August 22, 2022: Real Sociedad 1-4 Barcelona (La Liga)
Barcelona has dominated recent fixtures, winning four of the last five meetings, including a convincing 4-1 win in 2022. Real Sociedad’s lone victory came in May 2023 with a narrow 2-1 win.
Form Guide
- Real Sociedad (La Liga): D, W, D, W, L, W
- Real Sociedad (All Competitions): D, W, W, L, W, L
- Barcelona (La Liga): W, L, W, W, W, W
- Barcelona (All Competitions): W, W, W, W, W, W
Possible Lineups
Real Sociedad (4-3-3)
- Goalkeeper: Alex Remiro
- Defense: Jon Aramburu, Nayef Aguerd, Javi Lopez, Sergio Gomez
- Midfield: Igor Zubeldia, Takefusa Kubo, Martin Zubimendi
- Attack: Orri Oskarsson, Luka Sucic, Mikel Oyarzabal
Barcelona (4-2-3-1)
- Goalkeeper: Inaki Pena
- Defense: Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Gerard Martin
- Midfield: Pedri, Marc Casado, Frenkie De Jong
- Attack: Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski
Key Players
- Real Sociedad: Takefusa Kubo has been influential for Sociedad, while Mikel Oyarzabal offers both experience and creativity in attack.
- Barcelona: Robert Lewandowski is crucial up front with his scoring prowess, and Lamine Yamal’s speed and skill have made him one of the standout young talents in La Liga.
10 Key Stats
- The most common scoreline between these teams is 0-1 in favor of Barcelona.
- Real Sociedad scores 50% of their goals between the 76th-90th minutes.
- Barcelona has a 78% win rate when leading 1-0 away.
- Sociedad’s last home win against Barcelona was in 2016.
- Barcelona has scored at least once in their last 16 games.
- Real Sociedad has only scored 10 goals in 12 La Liga matches.
- Barcelona has lost only 1 of their last 5 La Liga matches against Sociedad.
- Average goals in recent meetings: 2.4 per match.
- Barcelona’s away record this season: 6 wins, 1 loss.
- Sociedad has not scored in 2 of their 6 home La Liga matches.
SWOT Analysis: Real Sociedad vs Barcelona
Real Sociedad SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Home Resilience: Real Sociedad has shown a resilient record at home, securing 8 wins and 10 draws in their last 30 home games against Barcelona, which can give them confidence playing in front of their fans.
- Late-Game Scoring Power: Scoring 50% of their goals between the 76th and 90th minute demonstrates their persistence and ability to capitalize on tired defenses.
- Key Playmakers: Takefusa Kubo and Sergio Gomez add quality to Sociedad’s offense, with Kubo leading in goals and Gomez in assists, adding both scoring and playmaking ability.
Weaknesses
- Inconsistent Scoring at Home: Sociedad has struggled with finishing in certain games, failing to score in 2 out of their 6 home matches in La Liga this season.
- Difficulty Recovering from a Deficit: When trailing 0-1 at home, Sociedad has a 0% win rate, indicating they face challenges in overturning a disadvantage once they fall behind.
- Underwhelming League Position: Currently in 11th place, Sociedad has seen a dip in form compared to last season’s 7th-place finish, reflecting inconsistent performances.
Opportunities
- Exploit Barcelona’s Late-Game Focus: Sociedad can capitalize on the final 15 minutes when Barcelona’s defensive line might weaken or focus shifts, especially if they are pressing forward.
- Home Advantage as a Motivator: Playing in front of their fans at Reale Arena can serve as a motivating factor, giving them a potential boost in confidence and performance.
- Chance to Gain Points and Climb the Table: With 15 points, Sociedad has the chance to improve their standing in La Liga, making this a high-stakes game where they can push themselves to bring their best.
Threats
- Vulnerability Against Barcelona’s Attack: Barcelona has scored consistently in all away games, averaging 2.33 goals, which puts immense pressure on Sociedad’s defense to hold firm throughout.
- Reliance on Key Players: The team’s reliance on Kubo and Gomez means that any dips in their performance or unexpected injuries could impact Sociedad’s chances significantly.
- Barcelona’s High Early-Game Scoring Rate: If Barcelona capitalizes early in the match, Sociedad could struggle to mount a comeback given their weaker record when trailing.
Barcelona SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Strong Head-to-Head Record: Barcelona has a dominant record over Real Sociedad, winning 41 out of 62 meetings and holding a strong goal difference of 132-54, making them the favorites based on history.
- Excellent Away Form: With a 6-0-1 away record, Barcelona has shown they can perform on the road, consistently scoring in all away games this season.
- Reliable Scorers and Playmakers: Robert Lewandowski leads with 14 goals, while Lamine Yamal, with 7 assists, contributes greatly in the playmaking department, providing both offensive consistency and depth.
Weaknesses
- Complacency Risk Due to Dominance: Given their strong record against Sociedad, Barcelona could risk underestimating their opponent, which could lead to lapses in focus or defensive errors.
- Struggle When Trailing Away: When down 1-0 away, Barcelona’s win rate is only 40%, indicating a potential challenge in overcoming early deficits when playing on the road.
- Pressure to Maintain Winning Streak: Barcelona’s current 7-game winning streak can add psychological pressure, especially if Sociedad holds their own defensively, leading to a tense match.
Opportunities
- Early Lead Advantage: Scoring 25% of their goals in the 16-30 minute window, Barcelona can take control early, allowing them to play more comfortably and manage Sociedad’s potential late-game push.
- Extend La Liga Lead: A win here would further solidify Barcelona’s position at the top of La Liga, putting more distance between them and potential challengers.
- Chance to Test Young Talent: With players like Lamine Yamal performing well, Barcelona can use this game to give younger players valuable experience in challenging situations, preparing them for future matches.
Threats
- Late-Game Pressure from Sociedad: Sociedad scores 50% of their goals in the last 15 minutes, meaning Barcelona needs to remain vigilant to avoid conceding a late equalizer or game-winning goal.
- Increased Physical Demand from Away Game: Playing at Reale Arena and defending against Sociedad’s strong late push may require Barcelona to stay mentally and physically sharp throughout, with less margin for error.
- High Expectations: With a strong head-to-head record, Barcelona faces the threat of high expectations, making any mistakes or missed chances more impactful as fans and critics look for continued excellence.
Tips and Prediction
Given Barcelona’s strong form and historical advantage over Real Sociedad, they enter this fixture as favorites. However, Real Sociedad’s resilience at home means this could be a close contest.
Prediction: Real Sociedad 1-2 Barcelona
Where to Watch Real Sociedad vs Barcelona Livestream
The Americas
- Canada (Vancouver 7.15am, Montreal 10.15am)
TSN (English), RDS (French) - USA (Los Angeles 7.15am, New York 10.15am)
ESPN - Mexico (Mexico City 8.15am)
Sky, Canal5 - Central America and Dominican Republic (Costa Rica 8.15am, Panama 9.15am, Dominican Republic 10.15am)
Sky (plus Sportsmax in Dom Rep) - Caribbean (Jamaica 9.15am, Bahamas 10.15am)
Sportsmax (plus ESPN and Star+ in certain countries and ATV in Suriname) - French Caribbean (Martinique 10.15am, French Guiana 11.15am)
Bein - Spanish speaking South America (Peru, Colombia 9.15am, Venezuela, Chile 10.15am, Argentina, Uruguay 11.15am)
ESPN, Star+, DirecTV (plus IVC in Venezuela, Tigo in Bolivia) - Brazil (Brasilia 11.15am)
ESPN, Star+
Europe
- United Kingdom and Ireland (3.15pm)
Viaplay, La Liga TV - Portugal (3.15pm)
DAZN - Spain (4.15pm)
Movistar, DAZN, LaLiga TV - France (4.15pm)
Bein - Belgium and Luxembourg (4.15pm)
DAZN - Netherlands (4.15pm)
Ziggo Sport - Norway (4.15pm)
TV2 - Sweden (4.15pm)
TV4 Football - Denmark (4.15pm)
TV2 Sport - Germany, Austria and Italy (4.15pm)
DAZN (and Sky Sports Bar in Italy) - Switzerland (4.15pm)
Blue - Poland (4.15pm)
Eleven, Canal+ - Czech Republic and Slovakia (4.15pm)
Nova - Hungary (4.15pm)
Spiler 2 - Balkan Republics (4.15pm)
Arena (and Artmotion in Kosovo) - Albania (4.15pm)
Super Sport - Finland (5.15pm)
C-More - Baltic Republics and Belarus (5.15pm)
Setanta - Ukraine (5.15pm)
Megogo - Romania (5.15pm)
Prima, Digi, Orange - Bulgaria (5.15pm)
Max Sport - Greece (5.15pm)
Nova - Cyprus (5.15pm)
Primetel - Israel (5.15pm)
One - Turkey (6.15pm)
S Sport - Russia (Moscow 6.15pm)
Match - Caucasus Region (7.15pm)
Setanta (plus TV Net and Real TV in Azerbaijan)
Africa
- North Africa (Morocco 8.00pm, Libya 9.00pm, Egypt 10.00pm)
Bein - Sub-Saharan Africa (Senegal, Ghana 3.15pm, Nigeria, Cameroon 3.15pm, South Africa, Zambia 4.15pm, Ethiopia 5.15pm)
Super Sport (English and local languages), Canal + Sport (French), Zap (Portuguese)
Asia
- Arab countries and Iran (Mecca 6.15pm, Iran 6.45pm)
Bein - Central Asian republics (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan 7.15pm)
Setanta - Indian Subcontinent (Afghanistan 7.45pm, Pakistan 8.15pm, India 8.45pm, Bangladesh 9.15pm)
Voot, MTV (plus Sports 18 in India) - Myanmar (8.45pm)
Canal + - Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia 10.15pm, Philippines 11.15pm)
Bein, La Liga TV (plus CTN in Cambodia, and Setanta in Philippines) - Vietnam (10.15pm)
SCTV - Mongolia (11.15pm)
SPS - China (11.15pm)
MIGU - Chinese Taipei/Taiwan (11.15pm)
DAZN
Saturday, 4 November
- South Korea (12.15am)
Coupang - Japan (12.15am)
U-Next, DAZN
Oceania
- Papua New Guinea (1.15am)
Digicel - Australia (Perth 11.15pm, Sydney 2.15am)
Optus - New Zealand (4.15am)
- Pacific islands (Fiji 2.15am)
TVWAN Sports
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