Barcelona 2-1 Real Sociedad: result, summary and goals
Barcelona vs Real Sociedad: as it happened
Barcelona player ratings vs Real Sociedad
Barcelona recorded an important win over table-toppers Real Sociedad on Wednesday night at Camp Nou. There were some excellent performances on the night. We analysed how Ronald Koeman's men performed in the 2-1 victory.
Ronald Koeman post-match: It was the best first half of our season for sure. We were great with the ball and we pressed well. The second half was more difficult. La Real played very well. We created chances to score and so did they. We have to keep going. When we had to defend, we defended well. The attitude was great. Sometimes you need a pivot. Pedri can do both. Football isn't a fixed system anymore. Real have great quality and we had to react to them too. There are no fans here, so it's different from the usual pressure but we have no problem playing Araujo and Mingueza for big games. Antoine was unlucky in front of goal. Martin had a great chance too. There are plenty of games left and it depends on ourselves how far we want to go.
Jordi Alba post-match: I think the first half was our best this season. It's hard to play with no fans but I'm proud of the team. We tried to play in the second half. We had our chances and they're one of the best teams in the league. I'm happier to provide assists than to score goals but I'm delighted to get one tonight. The team were magnificent tonight. The attitude was great. We had the hunger, fought for every ball, and overall I'm really happy with the win.
Willian José post-match: We tried to go until the end. It's always hard against Barca. It's hard when you're behind too. We look to the next game now against Levante. Barcelona is a team full of quality. I'm happy to score and I want to get more goals. I dedicated that one to my daughter.
Jordi Alba is going to talk post-match!
Isak had a great chance to equalise for La Real but Ter Stegen denied the striker with a brilliant foot block.
It's an excellent win for the home side against the table toppers.
Barcelona had to work for that one!
Full-time: Barcelona 2-1 Real Sociedad
We're into the last 30 seconds here!
Foul on Araujo. Free-kick to Barcelona. That should be it.
It's going long. Remiro to take
Real have another chance now. Free-kick
Ter Stegen with the goalkick!
3 minutes left!
Foul on Lenglet from Isak. Another Barca free-kick.
Barcelona defending in a 4-5-1 now. Very compact
5 minutes added-on time!
We're heading into added-on time now.
Free-kick to Barca. They will take their time with his one you would imagine.
Yellow card Francisco Trincão.
27 defeats and 1 draw in Real Sociedad's last 28 visits to Camp Nou. Not great.
Messi is shattered! Barcelona hanging on here!
Isak strikes but Ter Stegen manages to put his foot out to block the shot from six yards. Brilliant stop.
Ter Stegen keeps it at 2-1 and I've no idea how!
Incredible saves from Ter Stegen!!
Less than 10 to go at Camp Nou. 2-1 to Barca.
The Argentine is back on his feet!
An injured Leo Messi is not what Barcelona need
Ansu Fati shows his anger at the challenge on Messi from the sidelines.
Yellow card for Le Normand for clipping Leo Messi.
Barcelona change
OFF Mingueza
ON Lenglet
Monreal chance! Shoots wide at the back post. Should be hitting the target from there. Still 2-1 to Barcelona.
Willian José offside! La Real fighting right until the end.
Pedri is walking. He looks ok after that whack off the post. Has been replaced by Pjanic.
Barcelona change
OFF Pedri
ON Pjanic
That looked awful! Pedri slides into the post. Goes down in pain.
We mentioned Mingueza's performance earlier. Araujo alongside him has been very solid too. La Real have 17 minutes to get an equaliser.
Barca break - Messi picks out Carles Aleñá - who drags his shot wide of Remiro's far post.
Barcelona deal with the threat.
Real Sociedad corner!
Merino strikes from distance but it's straight at Ter Stegen.
Video: Frenkie De Jong puts Barcelona into the lead against Real Sociedad (USA only)
Substitution Real Sociedad
ON Isak
OFF Portu
Portu takes it. Ref blows up for pushing in the box. Free out!
Free-kick for Real Sociedad in a dangerous area on the right wing.
Mingueza has been excellent so far tonight for Barca.
Mingueza clears the danger! Not for the first time tonight.
It remains 2-1 to Barcelona
Barrenetxea gets a yellow for grabbing Griezmann's shirt.
Substitution Real Sociedad
OFF Guevara
ON Barrenetxea
How has he missed that chance? Griezmann is on the line! It's easier to score!
Griezmann misses an open goal!
La Real are currently playing with 10 men. Januzaj is off injured and will be replaced.
Portu miss kicks the cross from the right! Real Sociedad rebuild (fortunately for Portu!)
Video: Willian José opens the scoring for Real Sociedad against Barcelona (Video for USA only)
Messi almost makes it three! Superb run but fails to really test Remiro.
We're underway for the second half!
No changes at half-time for either side.
We're expecting plenty more in the next 45 minutes. Goals from Jordi Alba and Frenkie De Jong have Barcelona leading at the break. Willian José put La Real ahead.
Excellent first half at Camp Nou.
Half-time: Barcelona 2-1 Real Sociedad
The home team have been very good tonight. Koeman's side have showed good character to turn it around here.
Barcelona take the lead right before half-time.
Jordi Alba involved again. This time with the assist for his Dutch teammate De Jong.
It really doesn't look offside.
De Jong has it in the net...it's called offside
Sergio Busquets receives a yellow card for a challenge on Januzaj.
Braithwaite chance! The big Dane places his effort over the bar. Two excellent chances for Barca in two minutes. Remains 1-1.
Awful defending from La Real to allow Griezmann drive through, round Remiro and smack the bar.
Griezmann rattles the crossbar!
Tame effort from Januzaj on the edge of the box. Easy pickings for Ter Stegen.
Excellent defending from Barcelona to deny La Real a second goal. Portu remains a constant threat for the home side. Mingueza clears up the danger.
A lose ball falls to Alba in the box and he buries it on his weaker right side into the top corner.
Barcelona 1-1 Real Sociedad
What a strike! Wow
This is a Real Sociedad side missing both David Silva and Mikel Oyarzabal tonight.
Barcelona started the better of the two teams but it's the away side that leads with 30 minutes on the clock at Camp Nou.
That is Willian José's fourth goal of the season.
Portu picks out Willian José at the back post. 1-0 to Real Sociedad.
Real Sociedad take the lead through Willian José!
Remiro stops Alba from close range! great chance for Barcelona to take the lead.
And the Argentine goes close! Messi picks it up 25 yards from goal but sends it high and wide.
Messi is one goal away from Pelé's record of 643 goals for one club (Santos).
Real Sociedad haven’t won any of their last six games, including the Europa League matches, although it’s also true that they were not defeated in any of those games (all draws).
Januzaj picks up a booking for elbowing Mingueza. Deserved yellow.
Alba - Messi - Alba - Mingueza. Barca playing it around at the back. Messi the one dropping deep to start their moves.
Mikel Merino is the man slowing things down for La Real in the middle of the park tonight. A classy player, once of Newcastle United.
The ball is cleared. Barca build again, this time from a throw-in.
Barcelona corner!
Barcelona have started the stronger here. Real Sociedad are, however, very capable of hitting the home side on the break.
Pedri chance! Messi starts the move from inside his own half. The right wing cross is met by Pedri, but the 18-year-old guides his header just wide of the post.
Griezmann's tame effort goes wide. A nice looping cross from Alba. Really difficult angle for Griezmann to score from.
Real Sociedad are missing their talisman Mikel Oyarzabal tonight.
That is some excellent defensive play from Griezmann. Tracks back, wins the ball, and plays it out.
Braithwaite aims to play in Griezmann but it's offside.
Good strength shown from Dest to keep Portu away from the Barca box. Lively opening to the game tonight.
Barcelona with some nice work around the box, but fail to break down La Real's defence.
Ter Stegen kicks it into touch. Not like him!
We're underway! Barcelona are playing from right to left as we watch it.
Here come the teams!
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses is blaring at Camp Nou.
The Barcelona players have emerged from their home dressing room.
Kick-off is less than 10 minutes away!
Real Sociedad currently sit top of the league table going into tonight's match with Barcelona.
| Pts | MP | W | D | L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| 2 | 26 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | 26 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | 22 | 13 | 5 | 7 | 1 |
| 5 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 |
Barcelona currently sit 8th in LaLiga.
| Pts | MP | W | D | L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 18 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| 7 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| 8 | 17 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| 9 | 16 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 10 | 16 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
Kick-off at Camp Nou is just 30 minutes away! We'll be bringing you live action of tonigh'ts LaLiga clash between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad.
Emili Rousaud: "Messi's salary is unsustainable"
On Messi whether continuing is an economic issue or a sporting one:
What matters here is the sports project. When Messi said he was leaving, he didn't say it was to do with money. He is the highest-paid footballer in the world, no one earns more than he does. He didn't want to leave because he doesn't earn enough, he wanted to leave because he wants to win trophies. He said so at the time: "we aren't going to win anything". He wants to play for a team where there is talent.
And what about the economic side?
Obviously, with the actual situation at the club, Messi's salary cannot be sustained. It's unsustainable. An agreement would need to be reached. The project which we will present to him is an attractive one.
Messi close to new goals milestone
Lionel Messi scored as Barcelona returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Levante in LaLiga on Sunday. That took Messi to 449 goals in the Spanish top flight and he is one shy of becoming the first player to reach 450 with just one club in the top five European leagues. However, he has yet to assist a goal and has scored just five times in 11 LaLiga outings this season - three of those from open play - at a rate of a goal every 189 minutes.
That compares to a goal every 115 minutes last season (25 in 33 games), on top of 21 assists - the most of any player in the division, Real Sociedad's Mikel Oyarzabal being next highest with 11. Messi will be looking to improve on those figures when Barca host leaders Real Sociedad, having been involved in 14 goals in 10 home league meetings with Wednesday's opponents, including four goals and two assists in his last five such outings.
Messi's father dismisses latest PSG talk: "Yet another invention!"
Lionel Messi has again been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain but the Barcelona star's father has labelled the speculation "false".
Barcelona starting XI:
Ter Stegen; Dest, Araujo, Mingueza, Alba; De Jong, Busquets; Messi, Pedri, Griezmann; Braithwaite.
What is your prediction for tonight's clash?
We're expecting a free flowing game, with plenty of attacking play and goals: 2-2
La Real leading the way
Real Sociedad currently sit top of LaLiga on 26 points. Barcelona are in eighth place going into tonight's meeting, picking up just 17 points from their opening 11 games.
As Mbappé stalls on PSG deal, defeat to Barcelona could open way for Real Madrid move
While Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta looks to Real Madrid to boost his prospects of getting re-elected as Camp Nou chief, the Catalans could be poised to give their arch rivals a helping hand in their bid to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappé.
Monday’s Champions League draw, which pitted Barça against PSG in the last 16, has certainly added a curious sub-plot to the ongoing saga surrounding the future of Mbappé, a player who is Madrid’s priority transfer target.
Barcelona medical staff losing patience with Ousmane Dembélé
The club is worried that the French winger hasn't learned how to listen to his own body and pick up on warning signs which could help him prevent injuries.
Andrés Iniesta returns to Barcelona for surgery
Spain World Cup winner Andrés Iniesta has revealed he has undergone surgery in Barcelona for an injury that is expected to keep him out for up to four months.
The former Barça midfielder suffered a tear in his rectus femoris muscle while playing for Vissel Kobe in an AFC Champions League tie against Suwon Bluewings.
Following further evaluation by the Japanese club's medical team, the Spaniard had an operation back in his homeland, with the procedure carried out by doctor Ramón Cugat.
"The surgery has been a success and I am feeling very well," he wrote in a statement shared on Twitter. "My objective is to get back on track as soon as possible and enjoy what I like doing the most.
Messi one goal off Pelé
Lionel Messi is within one goal of matching Pelé's one-club goals record ahead of Wednesday's LaLiga showdown against leaders Real Sociedad.
Six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi has netted 642 goals for Barça across all competitions following his strike in last week's 1-0 victory over Levante.
Koeman expects a great game against Real Sociedad
Barcelona will have to be "confident" and "good with the ball" if they are to overcome Real Sociedad on Wednesday night, says Ronald Koeman.
Barcelona vs Real Sociedad: how and where to watch
All the information you need to know on how and where to watch Barcelona host Real Sociedad at Camp Nou (Barcelona) on 16 December at 21:00 CET.
Barcelona vs Real Sociedad: welcome
Hello and welcome to AS English's live coverage of this LaLiga Santander fixture as Barcelona host Real Sociedad at Camp Nou in Barcelona. Kick-off is at 21:00 CEST.
.