Sociedad hoodoo hangs over Barca
MADRID:
Barcelona face an uncomfortable trip to bogey side Real Sociedad as they seek to avoid losing further ground on Real Madrid just a week before the two clash in the Clasico. Barca have lost on their travels to San Sebastian in each of the past three seasons and already trail Real by four points having been held 0-0 at home by nine-man Malaga last weekend. The champions will at least benefit from having the on-fire Lionel Messi available.
Messi was badly missed due to illness against Malaga, but took his tally to 18 goals in 15 games this season with a double in a 2-0 win at Celtic that guaranteed Barca’s place in the last 16 of the Champions League as winners of their group on Wednesday. All four of Barca’s slip-ups in La Liga this season have come when Messi hasn’t completed the 90 minutes. “It is a difficult game because of the team they have. They are playing very well, they are up in the European places and it is years since we won there,” Messi said on Thursday.
“It will be a very tough game. We can’t afford to play badly because we need to win.” A run of four straight wins, including over Atletico Madrid in their last home outing, has seen Real Sociedad rise to joint fourth in the table. “To play against Barcelona is always an extra motivation because there are one of the best in the world and we know what it means to play against them,” said the Basque side’s Mexican forward Carlos Vela. Barca will again be without the injured Andres Iniesta and Samuel Umtiti, while Neymar has to be careful as a yellow card would see the Brazilian miss the Clasico through suspension. Spanish league table before this weekend’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Real Madrid 12 9 Barcelona 12 8 Sevilla 12 7 Villarreal 12 6 Real Sociedad 12 7 Madrid 12 6 Bilbao 12 6 Eibar 12 5 Celta Vigo 12 5 Las Palmas 12 4 Malaga 12 4 Espanyol 12 3 Real Betis 12 4 Alaves 12 3 Leganes 12 4 Valencia 12 3 Deportivo 12 2 Sporting Gijon 12 2 Osasuna 12 1 Granada 12 0
Life without Bale
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Barca could find themselves seven points back by the time they kick off tomorrow as Madrid host the struggling Sporting Gijon today. Zinedine Zidane’s men extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 30 games with victory at 0 2 2 2 4 3 4 4 5 4 4 3 6 5 7 7 6 7 7 7 34 32 22 19 21 25 16 17 18 21 17 14 13 11 11 16 10 11 12 10 10 13 17 8 13 11 13 15 22 20 16 17 22 16 22 22 19 25 23 26 30 26 24 22 22 21 20 18 17 16 16 15 14 13 13 11 10 9 7 5
Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday. However, progression to the last 16 of the Champions League for a record 20th straight season came at a huge cost as Gareth Bale will have to undergo surgery on an ankle injury that is set to keep the Welshman out for at least two months. —AFP
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