Real Sociedad 1-6 Barcelona, result, goals, summary: LaLiga Santander

Real Sociedad coach Imanol says he's convinced that if Barcelona keep playing like this they'll win LaLiga.

Messi enjoying football... and Barcelona 

Messi scored twice tonight on his record 768th game for Barcelona. He also set up Dest for the Americans first with a sublime bit of football. What's clear is that Messi is loving his football at the moment, something we weren't sure we'd see back in the summer when he tried to leave and at the start of the season when he was playing with a perma-scowl.

Koeman: "We had a great game. We dominated, created chances and were really effective. " 

The Barça coach says the impression his team left on the pitch is what most pleased him about tonight's win.

Not a bad start to Laporta's second reign as president, opening up with a 6-1 win...

Messi keeps going. Today also saw him set a new record for the most goals in a single European league. 467.

Griezmann says Koeman can treat the team

Both Griezmann and Koeman celebrate their birthdays today - the French striker says he reckons it's the gaffer's turn to sort out something for the team, after the effort they put in today. 

Here's how the table looks after that. Barcelona still four points behind Atlético who won 1-0 earlier on against Alavés (and were somewhat lucky to do so, Oblak saving a penalty late on), and two ahead of Real Madrid. 

Time pretty much up here at La Reale Arena and indeed the whistle sounds and Barcelona regain second spot with a sublime performance whjere they brushed Real Sociedad aside.

Carlos Fernandez carded

VAR looking at the play leading up to the goal .... 4 minutes of time to be added. The goal stands!

Great play from Alba with a neat give and go with Puig leading to the Messi hit

Braithwaite carded for a foul on Le Normand.

The ball falls to Fernandez on the edge of the box but his left foot effort is straight at Ter Stegen.

Puig and Trincao poised to enter the action with Dest and Griezmann set to exit

Jon Bautista and Modibo Sagnan set to come on for La Real / Zubeldia and Isak making way

Jon Bautista and Modibo Sagnan set to come on for La Real

Ten minutes remain in San Sebastian. At least that goal for the home side offers some slight consolation... finest goal of the evening too !

Dembele makes way for Danish international Braithwaite

Double fireworks to make those at sea that La Real have scored !

15 minutes remain and Real Sociedad fans just wanting this game to end as soon as possible. Biggest home defeat for the Basque side for some time.

Zubimendi off with Fernandez his replacement

Dembele with a ferocious left foot drive...right in the corner....

Carlos Fernandez poised to come on for La Real

20' remain in San Sebastian and as poor as La Real have been, Barcelona have impressed with incisive play and a game plan that has deprived the Basque side of creating danger

VAR just confirms that the Dembele goal was offside....

Busquets and Pedri come off with Araujo and Ilaix on

Busquets and Pedri come off with Araujo and Ilaix on

The ball is in the Real Sociedad net again with a fine drive from Dembele who is inches offside as he gathers the ball

Oyarzabal looks to break through the wall of black shirts. A discreet performance from the captain for the Basque side tonight.

Barcelona poised to make two switches

Changes for Real Socieadad: Portu and Gorosabel off with Ander Barrenetxea and Adnan Januzaj on

Remiro saves from Dembele with Dest instrumental in providing the assist, Barcelona relentless now looking for a fifth. La Real shell-shocked!

Imanol set to ring the changes....

Messi gets on the score-sheet dinking the ball over Remiro after an exquisite assist from Busquets as the fourth fire-work of the night sounds.

Difficult to see a way back for Imanol's side with Barça now very much in control.

Portu breaks into the Barcelona box and looks for Isak but the ball is poor and the visiting side manage to avert the danger.

Dembele breaks into the box, checks and loses the ball. A far from vintage performance so far from the Frenchman.

Plenty of players losing their footing during the course of the game with it would appear the pitch here in San Sebastian to be over-watered.

La Real need to find an early goal if they are to take the match to Barcelona.

The sides return to the Reale Arena pitch with no changes at the break it would appear. The home side start the action.

The week 29 of LaLiga fixtures promise to be very interesting as Atleti face Sevilla at the Sanchez Pizjuan with both Real Madrid (v Eibar) and Barcelona (v Valladolid) having (on paper at least), easier fixtures.

Live LaLiga table

The whistle sounds and the teams head towards the dressing room with the Catalan side two goals ahead.

Final minute of the half with one to be added. A serious Imanol looks on from the Real Sociedad bench.

Great assist from Messi threading the ball through to the American international who finishes well.

Zubeldia and Dembele collide and the Real Sociedad man looks to have come off badly. The La Real medical team attend to the man from Azkoitia.

Real Sociedad look to bounce back as Ter Stegen saves well from a decent Isak shot.

Decent save from Remiro to deny Dembele but the rebound falls to the French striker (Griezmann) who slots into the empty net with the keeper on the floor.

Barcelona go close ....

Alba feeds Pedri and once again Real Sociedad defend stoutly to ensure the Canary Islander fails to get his effort on target.

Dembele yet to really get firing tonight, Griezmann too has been discreet this evening for Barcelona.

Over the 30 minute mark and Barcelona ahead in terms of domination and possession but the best chance of the night falling to Swedish striker Isak.

The remodelled Reale Arena now looking excellent with the recent work and removal of the hated running track

Messi shapes to shoot but just hounded out by blue and white shirts. Both sides playing with patience looking for a way through as Busquets is carded for a foul on Isak.

Great work from Isak who robs De Jong and breaks into the Barcelona box but fires straight at Ter Stegen from close range. Corner for the home side.

Imanol's side have yet to get out of first gear being outclassed by the visitors. Oyarzabal makes a rare foray into the Barcelona box but over-hits the ball and the danger is averted.

It's been something of a placid first 20' for Ter Stegen with the German stopper yet to be tested by the 'Txuriurdin'.

Messi shoots again but this time the ball ricochets off a Real Sociedad defender and Remiro clears the danger.

Barcelona bossing things totally in terms of possession.

Real Sociedad struggling to retain possession with the ball given back to the men in black far too cheaply.

Barcelona looking the stronger of the sides so far as we head towards the 15' mark

First shot on target of the evening comes from Messi's boots with his left footed effort straight at Remiro.

Zubimendi fouls Dembele and is the first player of the evening to be carded.

Almost ... Pedri tries to dink the ball into Dembele's path but the ball is intercepted by Real Sociedad's rear-guard. Decent pace to the game but neither keeper called upon in the opening stage of the action.

Merino gifted the ball but lacks decision making and ultimately wastes the initative by delivering a poor cross.

Barcelona enjoying sustained possession and a wall of blue and white shirts in front with all Real Sociedad players behind the ball.

Both Griezmann and Alba celebrating birthdays today for Barcelona

Messi and De Jong just one card away from a suspension.

Remiro called into action as he clears the danger with Dembele looming as Barcelona launch a speculative ball.

We're all set in San Sebastian.... It's the away side who start the action....

Both captain's exchange pennants ahead of the game. Greetings too between Imanol and Koeman.

Referee: José Luis Munuera Montero

It's probably fair to say that the international break comes at a bad time just as the race in LaLiga is really heating up. The next league action will take place over the first weekend of April. Barcelona will face Valladolid at home with Atleti away to Sevilla and Real Madrid at home to struggling Eibar.

The corresponding fixture last season in San Sebastian between these sides ended 2-2. Oyarzabal and Isak were on target for the Basque side with Suarez and Griezmann hitting the target for the Catalan side.

The Reale Arena aka Anoeta looking majestic tonight....

The Catalan side will be sporting their rather smart away kit this evening.... an all black number with gold trims....

We suspect De Jong may be employed in a central defenisve role this evening for Barcelona.

Video:Koeman plays down talk of Barça league and cup double

The Dutch coach was anxious to not encourage talk of a 'doblete' for his side who play the Copa del Rey final in April and are alive in the LaLiga race

LaLiga title race alive: fixture list for Atleti, Madrid & Barcelona

A look at what lies in store for all three title chasing sides with the season end looming with just ten games outstanding after tonight.

Barça go into the game seven points behind table topping Atleti.

With both Madrid clubs winning this weekend, Koeman's side face added pressure to secure a positive result in San Sebastian this evening with up until a few years ago Anoeta something of a jinxed ground for the Catalan giants.

Atleti hang on to claim maximum points with a 1-0 win over Alaves

Last weekend's slip-up at Granada is the only blot on the Real Sociedad copy book over their past five outings

Barcelona are very much one of the in-from sides currently in LaLiga and haven't lost in domestic competition since 5 December last year when the fell to Cadiz.

The 'Txuriurdin' XI

Real Sociedad XI: Remiro, Gorosabel, Zubeldia, Le Normand, Merquelanz, Guevara, Zubimendi, Merino, Portu, Oyarzábal, Isak

Real Sociedad yet to confirm their starting XI

FC Barcelona XI:

Real Sociedad are looking over their shoulder with both Real Betis and Villarreal winning their respective games this weekend. The Basque side are looking to finish fifth and secure a Europa League spot with 6th place now offering a place in the new UEFA Conference League competition that will make its debut next season.

Ronald Koeman's side have come to terms with UEFA Champions League elimination at the hands of PSG and turn their attention to a possible league and cup double. The club should be able to steer itself to calmer waters with Joan Laporta having been sworn in as new club president earlier this week with the new man in charge offering his support to Koeman's project.

The action at the Reale Arena gets underway at 21:00 CET

Hello and a very warm welcome to our live coverage from San Sebastian as Real Sociedad face FC Barcelona in matchday 28 of the 2020/21 LaLiga Santander campaign.