BARCELONA — Barcelona has the opportunity to stay at the top of the table after three months if they capitalize on Real Madrid’s unexpected loss in Seville to Betis and secure a victory against Real Sociedad at Montjuïc. A win would put Hansi Flick’s team three points ahead of the Merengues and one point in front of Atlético, who are currently leading after their win over Athletic Club at the Metropolitano.
FC Barcelona has a chance to change the narrative that Real Sociedad created for them exactly a quarter ago. This afternoon, they face Real Sociedad at the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc. It was Real Sociedad who kicked off Flick’s ‘difficult November’ for the Blaugrana by beating them at the Reale Arena. Just yesterday, Real Madrid lost to Betis, opening the door for Barcelona, who now sees Atlético as the new leader.
FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick is set to implement at least four changes for the upcoming match against Real Sociedad in La Liga on Sunday. This game offers the Catalans an opportunity to pull ahead by a point at the top of the table.
In addition to that, the Basque team will head to Montjuïc missing the key player Kubo, who is suspended, and they will also be without Becker, the one who scored the goal that defeated Barça at Anoeta in November, a match that was notable for the disallowed controversial goal by Robert Lewandowski.
Also, The time of year has arrived when the calendar weighs heavily on all the teams still in contention for the major competitions. Madrid felt the effects at the Villamarín, as they were focused on Tuesday’s Champions League match against Atlético, following a Copa del Rey game against Real Sociedad. Today, the team is heading to Montjuïc for a challenging second leg of the Pyrenees: they faced Real Madrid on Wednesday, will play against Barça today, and then start their match against Manchester United on Thursday.
FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona is a professional football (soccer) club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is famous for its historically skillful and attractive style of attacking football, which emphasizes fluid and open play. The club is also part of a larger sports and social organization with thousands of members
FC Barcelona was founded in 1899 by a diverse group of footballers from Switzerland, Catalonia, Germany and England led by Joan Gamper. The club has become a key symbol of Catalan culture and identity, which is reflected in its motto “Més que un club”. Unlike many other football clubs, FC Barcelona is owned and operated by its supporters. It ranks as the third-most valuable football club globally, valued at $5.6 billion, and is the fourth richest in terms of revenue, boasting an annual turnover of €800.1 million. The club’s official anthem, “Cant del Barça,” was composed by Jaume Picas and Josep Maria Espinàs. Barcelona is known for its distinctive dark blue and garnet striped uniforms, earning the nickname Blaugrana.
Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad was founded in 1909, Real Sociedad, commonly referred to as La Real, is one of Spain’s oldest and most esteemed football clubs. The team has claimed both the La Liga and the Copa del Rey titles twice. Located in San Sebastián, Real Sociedad hosts its home games at Anoeta, a stadium that has garnered a somewhat negative reputation because of the athletics track separating the field from the stands.
The club has participated in the UEFA Champions League on four occasions. Their debut was in the 1981–82 season, where they were eliminated in the first round by CSKA Sofia. The following year, the team made it to the semifinals but lost a close match to Hamburger SV. In the 2003–04 season, they reached the round of 16, only to be defeated by Lyon. During the 2013–14 season, the team finished in 4th place in the group stage. Most recently, in the 2023-24 season, they advanced to the round of 16 but were beaten 4–1 on aggregate by PSG.