Expect Valverde to make a change at the break with Andre Gomes not really working out in the midfield four.
Crazy opening 45 minutes as Barcelona struggle to get into it before Real Sociedad go 2-0 but a Paulinho goal has them right in contention before the next 45.
45' That's it for the half at the Anoeta!
44' Piqué with a shot on goal from that free, sent in by Messi, but there was an offside as it was delivered. The central defender wondering what was wrong as the ref explains it to him.
44' Foul on Rakitic now.
43' Zurutuza with a foul as Barcelona look to draw level before the break. La Real recover.
41' Flick onto Odriozola by Willian Jose is too strong and it runs out over the endline.
39' Barca's number nine jumped the offside by a good few yards with a nice run and Paulinho drove into the box knowing what would happen. Nice move.
39'PAULINHO! 2-1. Lord, what a game. Paulinho pokes home from an excellent Luis Suarez cross right into his path.
38' Not entirely sure that Paulinho and Andre Gomes can xo-exist in the same midfield.
38' Barcelona trying to build now. Nothing working for them so far.
36' Jordi Alba through on goal but he's offside. He was steaming towards goal. Not sure it was offside but I think Messi took a flick on the ball and then Alba was offside.
35' That pass from Canales, like a reverse pass, onto the foot of the attacker. Lovely, lovely ball!
34'GOAL! What a pass by Canales. he lobs it into the direction of Juanmi and he strikes. It takes a deflection and beats Ter Stegen! Barcelona falling apart.
33' Rakitic with a foul now as Real Sociedad try to build an attack. Zurutuza the man who was fouled. Look like another dodgy decision by the ref.
31' Corner comes in and Willian Jose heads wide.
31' Real Sociedad all over Barcelona now. Canales strikes and Ter Stegen forced to turn it around the post. He was offside there but it was let slide.
30' Messi strikes now and Barcelona win a corner.
29'Disgraceful refereeing really.
28' GOAL! Willian Jose has it in the back of the net but it's not allowed. Foul by Zurutuza. But the replays show there was absolutely no contact.
27' Another chance for La Real. Canales gets it onto his left and strikes but that's too easy for Ter Stegen.
26' Xabi Prieto with a cross. Cleared out for a throw.
25' Suarez offside as Barcelona's plans for another attack are scuppered.
24' Piqué throws Willian Jose to the ground and La Real take a quick free but the player is, no lie, about 10 yards offside. Silly free and a waste of a chance.
23' Real Sociedad win it back.
23' Paulinho holds off a would be defender and Barcelona keep it. No movement ahead of Vermaelen and Barca forced to go long.
22' Suarez took a knee to the glute and is down grabbing his back. Hit the ground quite hard there and has a word with the referee.
21' Canales with a cross this time and Willian Jose heads it but he can only loop it up and into the palms of Ter Stegen.
21' Another excellent cross from Odriozola and it's cleared again! Real Sociedad on top here.
20' Excellent move from Real Sociedad. Odriozola cuts it back and La Real strike through Canales. Blocked up and out for a corner. Barcelona head it away.
17' Jose holds off Piqué and breaks forward but he was offside...
16' Barcelona lose out. Real Sociedad playing high up the field.
14' Corner for La Real. Barcelona counter. Paulinho has a shot and it's blocked, then Messi tries to pick it up and he is tripped up but there was a foul before that!
13' Good start from Real Sociedad, I guess you could say! Willian Jose, such a nice player, and he finished with his first chance.
11'Willian Jose GOAL! Almost out of nothing too. He heads it in off the post but down into the ground first!
11'He crosses and Piqué headers away.
11' Odriozola versus Alba as the former gets a march on the left-back.
10' Canales runs all the way across the field and passes to Kevin before he goes backwards. An awful lot of work for Canales to do just to go back again to where he came from.
10' Busquets finds Messi and he cuts out to the left and strikes but it's just over the bar.
9' Not the liveliest of starts for Barcelona bur not bad at all. Sergi Roberto crosses down the left and Llorente is forced to clear away.
8' Real Sociedad win a throw. Willian Jose loses possession and the Brazilian chases him down. Barcelona win a free as Kevin Rodrigues handles the ball. Barcelona with the chance to start an attack now.
6' Sergi Roberto in behind now and Rulli again rushes off his line and smothers it.
4' Sergi Roberto pushed off the ball by Willian Jose and wins a free. Decent from Real Sociedad, who are showing ambition going forward as we figured they would.
4' Willian Jose whips it out right and odriozola loses it before Xabi Prieto has to track back and Real Sociedad win it back.
3' Luia Suárez bears down on goal and Rulli rushed out to slide and win it. Close call as the striker got himself into a good position.
3' La Real sitting very deep. Messi with the ball on the left and holds onto it before turning and going backwards. It was like time stood still there.
2' Barcelona with plenty of the ball early on as they probe Real Sociedad's defense for weakness.
1' We are underway!
Real Sociedad welcome the winner of a basque singing competition onto the field.
Iniesta takes his place on the bench now, sips a water, as calm as you like. Might be needed tonight but won't be needed from the beginning.
Players in the tunnel now and ready to come out onto the field!
Extra long warm-up tonight!
Players out warming up and it's freezing and cold and wet up in the north of Spain.
Jordi Alba is one player who has really excelled since Neymar left in the summer. He has that whole left-hand side of the field to himself and has taken full advantage of it too! he has seven assists in LaLiga and is just a constant threat down the wing with Messi and him on the exact same page every single play.
Willian Jose is Real Sociedad's top scorer and has scored seven times in 18 games this season as he has really turned into a fully-functioning centre forward! He has been excellent on a number of occasions and adds so much to his side's general play. One to keep an eye for tonight for fans watching and Barcelona!
Also, the win last year in the Copa gave them a flavour of what it's like to win.
So much being made of that stat. There's two ways of looking at it. They're destined to break the hex at some point or else they really are mentally blocked at the stadium. My bet, especially given how well they have been playing under Valverde, more functional than pure flash is that they have as good a chance as any time before of winning tonight.
Dembele was just nine the last time Barcelona won at the Anoeta.
That stat came via SkySports, who shone a spotlight on Barcelona's recent struggles at the Anoeta.
Since Barcelona's last victory at the Anoeta, they have played 36 teams away from home in LaLiga and beaten 35! The only other side they failed to beat away from home was Numancia.
Thomas Vermaelen is quite the story as he is brought in from the cold by Barcelona. “He’s not surprising me,” said Ernesto Valverde, “I see him train every day.” The Belgian has played every match for the LaLiga leaders since 26 November
Ousmane Dembele has been left out of the team by Ernesto Valverde. The attacker just came back from injury and played well recently against Celta but is on the bench as Valverde looks to play a 4-4-2, it seems.
Real Sociedad team news: Rulli, Odriozola, Llorente, Raul Navas, Rodrigues, Prieto, Illarra, Zurutuza, Canales, Juanmi, Willian Jose.
He started in the Copa against Celta Vigo and they trounced their opponents that day! you could say he covers more ground than Iniesta but it's a gamble from Valverde.
Valverde trusts Gomes in big away games, it seems.
A rare start for Andre Gomes in the league. Andres Iniesta is rested and Piqué and Vermaelen continue in the heart of the defense. Meanwhile, Sergi Roberto starts at right-back with Semedo out with tonsilitis.
Barcelona team news: Ter Stegen, Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Vermaelen, Alba, Busquets, Rakitic, André Gomes, Paulinho, Messi and Suárez.
And also, Alavés won and pushed themselves up and out of the relegation zone. Real Sociedad could really do with something tonight!
Atlético Madrid and Valencia also picked up tricky wins away from home too this weekend!
I don't think it's a push to suggest the big news of the weekend was Real Madrid losing to Villarreal for the first time ever at home in the league.Barcelona win tonight and the 16 point gap becomes 19!
Hello and welcome to out live feed of Real Sociedad vs Barcelona from the Anoeta this Sunday night. Kick-off is at 20:45 CEST and we will be building up right here with team news, analysis and a few stats sprinkled it to boot!
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.
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