Real Sociedad recently conceded late and played to a 2-2 draw with Rayo Vallecano on the last weekend, missing a chance to secure their fifth victory in six league matches. Under the guidance of Imanol Alguacil, they started this round in fifth place, trailing their upcoming opponent, Barcelona, by five points. Barcelona has been a team they’ve historically struggled against, and despite their victory in their last meeting in May, Real Sociedad has consecutively won in personal encounters only once in the 21st century. Nevertheless, there could be anticipation at the Reale Arena as the Basques have secured four consecutive victories in La Liga at their home ground, extending their unbeaten streak in such matches. After 11 rounds of the current Spanish league, the “white and blues” have recorded five victories and 19 points, which is nine points behind the leader. For the upcoming match, Merkelanz, Andre Silva, and Tirni will be unavailable due to injury.
Barcelona may head to the northwest, a bit downcast after failing to hold onto their leadership and suffering a 1-2 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clasico last week. Although this is their first official defeat of the season, the inability to win three of their last five La Liga matches is a cause for concern as they start this round in fourth place, trailing their arch-rivals in white by four points, which is a worrisome sign for their title defense. However, a visit to this field should be a relief for Barcelona as they have avoided defeat in their last 12 matches in the Basque Country. Moreover, this includes four victories during Xavi’s tenure as a coach. Maintaining vigilance in the early minutes of this game is crucial since the Catalans conceded the first goal within the first ten minutes in their last two away league matches. For today’s game, de Jong, Roberto, and Pedri will be sidelined with injuries. More today football predictions from the experts can be obtained from the link provided.
