Both teams approach this clash with slightly different ambitions, but both are firmly positioned in the upper echelons of the table.
Barcelona are bidding to regain the La Liga title and are making a strong push to achieve it. However, they face fierce opposition from the two Madrid clubs.If you’re backing Barca to go all the way, using a Stake Promo Code could unlock special betting offers. Sociedad’s ambitions are a little lower, as they are simply trying to close the gap to the top six.
Barca are in fine form at the moment, having won their last five La Liga games – the only club to do so. These wins have propelled them to the summit as they seek to win the Spanish top flight for the first time since 2022/23.
Sociedad, meanwhile, have had a mini resurgence of late, winning two of their last three in the league. Yet, this is part of a wider pattern of four defeats in six matches, so it is fair to say the negatives outweigh the positives at the moment.
Barcelona Expected Lineup: Szczesny, Kounde, Cubarsi, Garcia, Balde, Casado, Gavi, Lopez, Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha
Real Sociedad Expected Lineup: Remiro, Aramburu, Elustondo, Aguerd, Lopez, Zubimendi, Zakharyan, Marin, Oyarzabal, Kubo, Oskarsson
It’s hard to look past Barcelona at present, with the Catalan giants yet to taste defeat in 2025. They have won 11 of their 13 games this calendar year. Bettors looking to back them can find competitive odds on top online betting sites.
At home, Barca have won four of their last five. They have also won an astonishing 28 of the last 29 games they have hosted against Real Sociedad.
Just under half of those games saw Sociedad get on the scoresheet. However, they have been prolific of late, scoring at least twice in four of their last five across European and league competition.
Despite this, five defeats from their last six away league games suggest more struggles on the road are likely, even with their new-found scoring touch.
For those uncertain about Barca securing the win, the odds for Sociedad to simply get on the scoresheet are generous.
A league-high 11 failures to score in La Liga this season explains the generous pricing. Yet, their resurgence in front of goal suggests the bookmakers have focused solely on that.
Before Wednesday night’s Copa del Rey clash with Real Madrid, Sociedad had scored 14 goals in six games.
That proves they can be clinical in front of goal against a Barca side with just four clean sheets from 11 home league games this season.
This bet is for the second half to have over 1.5 goals and the first half to have under 1.5 goals. Although it might sound unusual, there is some sound logic behind it.
Away from home, only one of Sociedad’s 12 league games this season have seen over 1.5 first-half goals. Across all their games this season, just four out of 25 in La Liga have hit that mark – with only Getafe games averaging fewer first-half goals.
However, Sociedad’s last five league games have all seen over 1.5 second-half goals. In fact, this bet has landed in all five of those matches.
Twelve of the last 15 La Liga goals scored or conceded by Sociedad have come after the break.
Games involving Barca average a league-high two goals per second-half, so they are likely to contribute to an exciting finish.
Eight of the last ten league goals Barcelona have scored have arrived in the second half. At home, only one of their last six league games saw over 1.5 first-half goals. Therefore, it seems likely the second half will deliver more goals.