Barcelona and Real Sociedad clash at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys this Sunday evening in what promises to be an exciting La Liga encounter.The Catalans sit second in the table, just two points behind Real Madrid, while La Real find themselves languishing in 17th position with only five points from their opening six matches.Barcelona vs Real Sociedad – Match preview and team newsDate: 28th September, Sunday.Kick-off: 5:30pm BST.Venue: Estadio Olimpic Lluis Companys, Barcelona.Last Meeting: Barcelona 4-0 Real Sociedad, LaLiga, 2nd March 2025Barcelona team newsBarcelona face significant challenges with their squad selection, particularly in goal. Joan Garcia has been ruled out for 4-6 weeks after undergoing surgery on a meniscus injury sustained in the final moments of their 3-1 victory over Real Oviedo. The summer signing from Espanyol had featured in every match this season before his unfortunate setback. With Marc-André ter Stegen also sidelined with a back injury, veteran Wojciech Szczesny will make his first start between the posts this season.The injury list extends to the attacking department, with Brazilian winger Raphinha sidelined for approximately three weeks due to a hamstring problem. However, there is positive news with Lamine Yamal returning to the squad after missing four matches with a groin injury. The 18-year-old, who recently won the Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, is expected to feature in some capacity.Midfielder Gavi remains a long-term absentee following knee surgery, which will keep him out for up to five months. Marc Casado is also a doubt after suffering muscular discomfort during training. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Real Sociedad team newsReal Sociedad have their own injury concerns ahead of the trip to Catalonia. Striker Orri Oskarsson continues to be sidelined with a muscle issue, while midfielder Yangel Herrera is also unavailable until mid-October. Defender Aritz Elustondo, who suffered a rib injury in the defeat to Real Betis, remains doubtful for the clash.The Basque side will be hoping to build on their first win of the season, a narrow 1-0 victory over Mallorca courtesy of Mikel Oyarzabal’s goal. Manager Sergio Francisco has confirmed he will field his strongest available lineup, despite being disappointed that Elustondo hasn’t recovered in time.FormBarcelonaHansi Flick’s side are in exceptional form, having won six of their seven matches this season across all competitions. Their recent 3-1 comeback victory against Real Oviedo maintained their unbeaten. The Catalans have been prolific in attack, scoring at least three goals in each of their last six La Liga victories. At their temporary home, the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, they have won nine of their last 11 La Liga matches.Barcelona’s defensive improvements under Flick have been notable, keeping clean sheets in five of their last nine LaLiga games. The German coach recently reached his 50th victory as Barcelona manager in just 67 matches, making him the third-fastest coach in the club’s history to reach this milestone. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Real SociedadReal Sociedad endured their worst start to a LaLiga season since returning to the top flight in 2010, managing just two points from their opening five fixtures under new manager Sergio Francisco. This represents their third-worst start of the 21st century, with previous similar beginnings resulting in relegation concerns.Their recent victory over Mallorca provided much-needed relief after three consecutive defeats. La Real have struggled particularly on their travels, losing 12 and winning just five of their last 22 away league fixtures, including a heavy 4-0 defeat at this venue last season.Predicted lineupsBarcelona: Szczesny; Kounde, E Garcia, Araujo, Martin; De Jong, Casado; F Torres, Olmo, Rashford; LewandowskiReal Sociedad: Remiro; Aramburu, Zubeldia, Caleta-Car, Gomez; Kubo, Mendez, Gorrotxategi, Soler, Barrenetxea; OyarzabalHow to watch Barcelona vs Real Sociedad?UK fans can watch the game live on Premier Sports 1.Read – The quickest players to score 100 goals for one clubSee Also – The five favourites to win the Europa League this seasonFollow The Football Faithful on Social Media:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTokThe post Barcelona vs Real Sociedad – Match preview and team news first appeared on The Football Faithful.