Real Sociedad’s Renewed Confidence Against Barcelona

Real Sociedad will face Barcelona with a heightened sense of confidence compared to previous seasons. In their earlier meeting this season, they managed to go ahead 1-0, and last season, they triumphed 1-0 at Anoeta. This performance is notable among the past six encounters, where they have achieved two victories and arguably deserved even more, showcasing a commendable track record.

In their earlier match this season, Real Sociedad caught Barcelona by surprise, leading 1-0 at the Lluís Companys Stadium with a goal from Odriozola in the 31st minute. However, both Koundé and Lewandowski prevented Sergio Francisco from securing a victory that could have significantly altered his future as the head coach of the txuriurdin.

The team returned to face Barcelona after enduring a heavy 4-0 defeat last season, where Hansi Flick’s side avenged their earlier 1-0 loss in La Liga at Anoeta. The previous year, under coach Xavi, Barcelona narrowly won 1-0, with Araujo scoring a last-minute goal that left Real Sociedad feeling unjustly treated. A headline from MARCA read, “Araujo denies a deserving Real team their reward.”

Earlier, at the end of the 2022-23 season, Real Sociedad broke a 32-year winless streak at Camp Nou, clinching a 2-1 victory with goals from the beloved Mikel Merino and Álex Sorloth. This significant win was crucial for their Champions League qualification hopes.

The long period without a victory, which often involved heavy losses, now seems like a distant memory. With two recent successes in their last six matches, and a defeat that could have turned out differently, Real Sociedad will strive to build on this momentum in tonight’s match at Anoeta, aiming to extend the positive impact of Coach Matarazzo.