Real Sociedad v Barcelona: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Many expected last season’s runaway winners Real Madrid to cruise to the La Liga title once again but that has not been the case, with their bitter rivals Barcelona sitting six points clear of Los Blancos. 

Barca will get the opportunity to extend that lead to nine points on Sunday as they head to the Basque Country to take on Real Sociedad and they look likely to take their chance, with their hosts in patchy form and Hansi Flick’s men producing some scintillating results of late. 

With no fresh injury concerns for the visitors and Real Sociedad, who are 18 points worse off than Barca, missing a fair few key players, the points look set to be heading back to Catalonia.

Real Sociedad v Barcelona betting tips and predictions

Barcelona to win - 10/11

Given that Barcelona have won their last seven matches by an aggregate score of 29-5, it is surprising to see them priced up at a shade of odds-on for this clash. 

That sensational run includes 4-1 and 4-0 routs of German giants Bayern Munich and bitter enemies Real Madrid as well as convincing wins over local rivals Espanyol and a decent Sevilla side, suggesting the challenge of an inconsistent Real Sociedad should be easy enough to overcome. 

The hosts have won just five of their 16 matches this term and they are becoming a difficult side to predict. A 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid can be seen as a positive, as can a 1-0 away win over Girona, but defeats to Viktoria Plzen and Anderlecht in the Europa League and a La Liga draw with relegation-threatened Real Valladolid will have set alarm bells ringing. 

Manager Imanol Alguacil will be looking to put together a string of positive results soon, but he may have to wait until after the international break as a visit from a rampant Barca is unlikely to provide a springboard for that desired run. 

To make matters worse, Barcelona have dominated this fixture in recent years, winning seven of the last eight La Liga meetings between the pair and losing just one league clash with Real Sociedad since 2016. 

The Reale Arena can often be something of a fortress, but that couldn’t be further from the truth right now, with the hosts having lost six of their last eight home games, so even the benefit of being on their own patch is unlikely to be enough to see them withstand an onslaught from the league leaders. 

Barcelona/Barcelona Half-Time/Full-Time - 2/1

While odds of 10/11 for a Barcelona win seem generous enough to consider, those seeking a bigger payout may wish to back the visitors to dominate from start to finish, something which they have done regularly throughout the campaign. 

Flick’s attacking tactics have been getting the most out of numerous players, from Robert Lewandowski to Lamine Yamal, and his front-foot approach tends to lead to early goals. 

Barca have led at half-time in six of the seven matches in their ongoing winning streak, with their El Clasico clash the exception to that rule. Impressively, they netted in the opening 15 minutes in four of those matches, suggesting they may waste no time in the Basque Country. 

Real Sociedad have been trailing at the break in three of their last four losses and that familiar feeling may return on Sunday, with injuries to Nayef Aguerd and Hamari Traore leaving them quite light in defence and looking vulnerable against a brilliant attacking unit. 

Robert Lewandowski to score 2+ goals - 11/2

Barcelona’s star striker Lewandowski has started the season in frightening form, scoring 19 goals in just 16 matches, and he could well build on that on Sunday. 

His start to the campaign should come as no surprise given that he netted 83 goals in 71 games under Flick during their time together at Bayern Munich and the German’s tactics clearly know how to get the best out of the Polish bagsman. 

Lewandowski has impressed on the road lately, netting seven goals across Barca’s last three away games, and he looks set to inflict more pain on some vulnerable hosts this weekend. 

He has scored three goals in his previous four appearances against Real Sociedad but he is in much finer fettle now than he was for those clashes, so it would be no surprise to see him net at least twice at the Reale Arena on Sunday. 

Read more football betting tips and predictions on site

Real Sociedad v Barcelona odds

Real Sociedad - 27/10
Draw - 14/5
Barcelona - 10/11

View the full market and more odds for Real Sociedad v Barcelona on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.