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La Liga | Gameweek 33
Apr 20, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
Real Sociedad logo

2-1

Lenglet (45'), Alba (64')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Juanmi (62')

How Barcelona could line up against Real Sociedad

Sports Mole looks at how Barcelona could line up in this weekend's La Liga clash with Real Sociedad.

Barcelona will be looking to continue their charge towards the La Liga title when they welcome Real Sociedad to Camp Nou on Saturday night.

As it stands, Barca are nine points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid at the top of the table and are very much closing in on another championship.

Lionel Messi scored twice and Philippe Coutinho netted the other as Ernesto Valverde's side recorded a 3-0 win over Manchester United in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday night. The victory handed the Spanish giants a four-goal aggregate success, setting up a semi-final with Liverpool.

The fact that Barca are so comfortable at the top of the division means that Valverde should be able to rotate his squad in the build-up to the first leg of their semi-final next month.

With that mind, Sports Mole takes a look at how Barca could line up against Sociedad.


POSS BAR XI vs. SOC

Out: Rafinha (knee), Thomas Vermaelen (thigh)

There were first-team debuts for Moussa Wague and Jean-Clair Todibo in last weekend's goalless draw with Huesca, while Riqui Puig and Jeison Murillo both made their La Liga debuts.

On-loan attacker Kevin-Prince Boateng was also amongst those to start for Barca in their last league match, but Valverde is expected to send a stronger team onto the field this weekend.

That does not mean that there will not be changes from the clash with United, though, as Nelson Semedo, Arturo Vidal and Ousmane Dembele should come into the XI.

There could be a spot for Samuel Umtiti at centre-back, with Carles Alena also pushing for a midfield role. Messi and Luis Suarez, though, are both expected to keep their spots in the final third.

Rafinha and Thomas Vermaelen are currently Barca's only first-team absentees, with Gerard Pique available once again having missed the clash with Huesca through suspension.

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Matt Law
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Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring against Lyon in the Champions League on March 13, 2019
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona17122350193138
2Real Madrid16113234132136
3Atletico MadridAtletico16105130111935
4Athletic Bilbao1795326151132
5Villarreal157532725226
6Real Sociedad167361611524
7Osasuna166642225-324
8Mallorca177371620-424
9GironaGirona166462223-122
10Celta Vigo166372527-221
11Real BetisBetis165651820-221
12Rayo Vallecano155461516-119
13Sevilla165471723-619
14Las PalmasLas Palmas165382227-518
15Getafe163761113-216
16AlavesAlaves164391827-915
17Leganes163671423-915
18Espanyol1541101528-1313
19Valencia142481322-910
20Real ValladolidValladolid1623111134-239


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