Real Sociedad take on the visitors Barcelona in the round 20 match of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Saturday, January 17th at Reale Stadium, San Sebastian.
Real Sociedad have gone through a long period under their long-standing head coach Alguacil. However, after clear successes ranging from a cup victory to reaching the Champions League playoffs, the club has objectively been losing ground over the last one and a half to two seasons. As a result, he was replaced in the summer by Sergio Francisco. By appointing another relatively unknown and not very experienced but “homegrown” specialist, the club in San Sebastián clearly hoped to get a “new Imanol,” but that plan did not work out. It was no coincidence that before Christmas, and the seasonal break, another change was made, with Matarazzo invited after his work in Germany. He made his debut in January and immediately secured a draw against Atletico. A win followed against Getafe, and then, after a 2-2 draw and a penalty shootout, they knocked out their neighbors Osasuna in the cup. Recently, Real Sociedad have looked more organized and competitive, especially at home, where results have stabilized. The team are gradually picking up points again, although consistency over a longer stretch is still missing.
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Barcelona made a smart move back in 2024 by appointing a coach from the Bundesliga, Flick. Despite having no prior experience in Spain, he won all domestic trophies last season. After the summer break, problems emerged, but in November and December the team managed to improve, which coincided with a downturn from Real Madrid. As a result, by the New Year the Catalans became the sole leaders of La Liga. They started January with a confident 2-0 win against their currently strong neighbors Espanyol. Then, traveling to the Middle East for the Super Cup, they comfortably claimed the trophy, beating Athletic and Real Madrid along the way. This week in the Copa del Rey they also recorded a 2-0 victory over Racing. Barcelona are currently in strong form across all competitions and show confidence in controlling matches. Even away from home, their recent results suggest they can impose their style and play for a positive outcome.
In the last 14 head-to-head matches, Real Sociedad have managed only two wins, losing the rest, including a 1-2 defeat in September. “More than a club” should be aiming for a win here, so the bet is on the visitors.
Prediction for the match: Barcelona to win.
