Preview: Real Sociedad vs Barcelona - prediction, team news, lineups

Barcelona will be aiming to make it 12 straight wins in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign away to Real Sociedad on Sunday night.

The Catalan outfit are top of the La Liga table, four points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, while Real Sociedad sit 11th, eight points off sixth-placed Real Betis.

Match preview

Real Sociedad finished 11th in Spain's top flight last season, so there was plenty of room for improvement during the 2025-26 campaign, but La Real have again struggled for consistency, picking up 21 points from their 19 matches to sit down in 11th spot.

Pellegrino Matarazzo has made an unbeaten start to life as the Basque outfit's head coach, though, boasting a record of two wins and a draw.

La Real have picked up four points from their last two league matches, drawing at home to Atletico Madrid before winning away to Getafe, and they then beat Osasuna on penalties to secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.

Real Sociedad actually have one of the worst home records in La Liga this season, only picking up 11 points from nine matches, recording only three wins in the process.

The White and Blues have lost four of their last five league matches against Barcelona, meanwhile, but they did record a 1-0 victory in the corresponding game last term.

Barcelona are absolutely flying at this moment in time, with Hansi Flick's side winning each of their last 11 matches in all competitions, including the final of the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid, so a trophy in 2025-26 has already been secured.

The Catalan outfit were in Copa del Rey action on Thursday evening, and they managed to secure their spot in the quarter-finals courtesy of a 2-0 success over Racing Santander.

Barcelona have not actually been in La Liga action since the Catalan derby on January 3, when they beat Espanyol 2-0, and Flick's side are currently four points clear of second-placed Real Madrid at the top of the division.

The Catalan team have won each of their last nine league matches dating back to El Clasico at Bernabeu at the end of October, and despite some defensive issues this term, Flick's side have again shown why they are title favourites.

Barcelona will resume their Champions League league phase campaign away to Slavia Prague next week, and they have work to do in the competition, currently sitting down in 15th spot in the overall table, two points off the automatic qualification spots.

Real Sociedad La Liga form:

LLLDDW

Real Sociedad form (all competitions):

LWDDWW

Barcelona La Liga form:

WWWWWW

Barcelona form (all competitions):

WWWWWW

Team News

Real Sociedad will definitely be without the services of Inaki Ruperez on Sunday through injury, while Yangel Herrera and Orri Oskarsson are also expected to miss out.

Due to the level of the performance in Real Sociedad's last league match against Getafe, the same XI could take to the field here, including a spot in an advanced area for Brais Mendez.

Mikel Oyarzabal will also feature in the final third, with the Spaniard looking to add to the five goals and three assists that he has managed during the 2025-26 campaign.

As for Barcelona, Gavi (knee) and Andreas Christensen (knee) are both still absent, but their squad is otherwise in excellent shape for the league fixture with Real Sociedad.

There will be changes to the side that started against Racing Santander in the Copa del Rey, with Fermin Lopez, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Eric Garcia and Raphinha all set to be introduced back into the starting XI.

Joao Cancelo was on the bench against Racing Santander and could potentially be in line for a second debut for Barcelona, having returned to the club on loan from Al-Hilal, while Ronald Araujo is also now back in the fold.

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:

Remiro; Aramburu, Caleta-Car, Martin, Gomez; Soler, Turrientes; Kubo, Mendez, Guedes; Oyarzabal

Barcelona possible starting lineup:

E Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, E Garcia, Balde; Pedri, De Jong; Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha; F Torres

We say: Real Sociedad 1-2 Barcelona

Barcelona are in excellent form at this moment in time, and while Real Sociedad are capable of making it a tough assignment for the champions, we are expecting Flick's side to navigate their way to another three points this weekend.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.