Real Sociedad vs Barcelona prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2024-11-09 20:00.
[p]After a 2-1 UEFA Europa League defeat to Viktoria PlzeĆ in midweek, Real Sociedad return to La Liga action looking to improve on their mid-table position. A faltering start is largely to blame for that lowly position, as theyâve warmed to the task of late in La Liga by losing just one of their last six league games (W3, D2), although that sole defeat did come in their last home outing.[/p]
[p]Back-to-back home league defeats certainly appear likely too given Sociedad have won just one of their last 16 La Liga matches against Barcelona (D2, L13). Their form at the Reale Arena suggests thereâs little chance of them turning that around here either, as they’ve lost four of their six league games there this term (W1, D1), conceding exactly twice in each defeat.[/p]
[p]The picture is much more positive for Barcelona, who are romping clear at the La Liga summit with a nine-point cushion ahead of the round. Theyâve had an extra 24 hours to recover for this clash after their UEFA Champions League endeavours, where they beat Red Star Belgrade 5-2 away from home in what was their seventh-straight competitive win, six of which incredibly came by a 3+ goal margin.[/p]
[p]Even the victory that wasnât quite so handsome still saw them net three times, so Barça have more than proved their worth in the final third. Thatâs helped Hansi Flick become the first Barça boss to achieve six wins in his first seven away games in La Liga since Gerardo Martino in 2013 (W6, D1), and a seventh win would see the Catalan club secure a fifth successive top-flight H2H away victory for the first time in the competition’s history.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Sociedadâs Orri Ăskarsson struck before half-time in midweek, but seven of his eight club goals prior arrived after the break. Barcelonaâs Lamine Yamal likes to hit the road, where his last five club goals have arrived, though two of those scoring appearances ended in defeat (W2). [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Barcelonaâs disciplined defence have caught their opponents offside 83 times in La Liga this season, almost twice as much as any other side in Europeâs traditional top-five leagues ahead of the round.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Chris Wilson[/i][/p]