Frank Christian
On Sunday, Barcelona will face Real Sociedad, aiming to secure their position at the top of La Liga while maintaining an impressive goal-scoring record.
This week, the Catalan club achieved a significant victory against Red Star Belgrade, winning 5-2 in the UEFA Champions League, marking the first time in their history that they’ve scored 55 goals in their first 16 matches of a season, per Opta.
Coach Hansi Flick has a chance to join the ranks of Pep Guardiola (2012) and Juan Jose Nogues (1943) as the third Barcelona men’s coach to guide the team to score three or more goals in eight consecutive matches.
Real Sociedad, on the other hand, has struggled recently, managing only four wins out of their first 12 league games of the 2024/25 season and scoring just 10 goals during this period, leaving them among the lowest scorers in La Liga.
The Sporting News provides an update on team news ahead of this match.
Predicted Lineups for Real Sociedad vs. Barcelona
Coach Imanol Alguacil will assess player fitness after Thursday’s Europa League match against Viktoria Plzen before finalizing his lineup for the showdown with Barcelona.
Currently, main absentees include Hamari Traore, Pablo Marin, and Arsen Zakharyan. Left-back Aihen Munoz is not traveling due to a family commitment but may be available for Sunday’s match.
Captain Mikel Oyarzabal, after scoring in the recent victory against Sevilla, might keep his spot as the central forward, possibly ahead of Orri Oskarsson.
Real Sociedad’s projected XI (4-1-4-1): Remiro (GK) — Aramburu, Zubeldia, Aguerd, Munoz — Zubimendi — Kubo, Mendez, Sucic, Becker — Oyarzabal
Injury Report: Traore, Marin, Zakharyan
Suspensions: None
Pau Cubarsi is keen to participate for Barcelona despite dealing with a serious facial injury incurred against Red Star. However, coach Hansi Flick may opt for caution with his decision.
Gavi might come in for Frenkie de Jong, who is still regaining match fitness, while Alejandro Balde is expected to return at left-back.
Barcelona’s projected XI (4-2-3-1): Pena (GK) — Kounde, Dominguez, Martinez, Balde — Gavi, Casado — Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Raphinha — Lewandowski
Injury Report: Araujo, Bernal, Christensen, Garcia, Torres, Ter Stegen, Cubarsi (doubt)
Suspensions: None
Broadcast Information for Real Sociedad vs. Barcelona
Here’s how to catch this La Liga matchup in various global regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | — | ESPN+, Fubo |
| Canada | — | TSN+ |
| UK | ITV4, La Liga TV | ITVX, Premier Sports Player |
| Australia | beIN SPORTS 2 | beIN Sports Connect |
| India | — | GXR World |
