La Real hope to continue as Barcelona’s chief tormentors

After 12 games, even the most optimistic of Real Sociedad fans would not have believed that their side had the players nor the team cohesion to find themselves outside of the Champions League places on goal difference only. An injury to Imanol Agirretxe proved disruptive last campaign, but a direct replacement of Willian Jose has managed to provide the presence and goals that were missing in the talismanic number nine’s absence. 

Carlos Vela has found the fitness and form required to earn himself a recall to both La Real’s playing squad and the Mexico national team, while Mikel Oyarzabal continues to look like one of La Liga’s brightest young attacking prospects out on the left-hand side with a tally of four assists. The trio has amassed 10 goals between them in the Spanish top-flight. 

David Zurutuza and Xabi Prieto have chipped in with three goals apiece from midfield, with Yuri and Carlos Martinez offering flying support in wide areas when required - which has seen the full-back duo picked up their side’s highest average ratings of 7.44 and 7.43, respectively. 

Asier Illarramendi had a forgettable spell at Real Madrid, and exactly at a time where Los Blancos are lacking a deep-lying midfield presence to control games, the Basque midfielder is recapturing the form that saw him draw a price in the region of €40m three years ago to make the move to Madrid. Eusebio has provided a firm foundation for his side, which has found some form through consistent team selection. 

Carlos Martinez has nailed down his spot as starting right-back in the last month or so, with star centre-back Inigo Martinez announcing himself back after suspension this week with the first direct free-kick scored by a defender during the current La Liga campaign. Geronimo Rulli is a strong young goalkeeper, providing the basis his team needs to feel confident to match and overcome their opponents.  

Only Villarreal (8), Real Madrid (10) and Atletico (11) have conceded fewer than the 13 goals Sociedad have in the opening 12 games of the league season - while the 21 goals they have netted puts them as fifth-highest scorers. On paper, Eusebio may not have had an imperious start as boss early on, but in October the ex-Barcelona B coach overtook predecessor David Moyes’ points tally, with the last month or so being increasingly positive courtesy of wins over Alaves, Leganes, Atletico Madrid and Sporting Gjion. 

The 2-0 victory over Atletico will be the standout result to scare Barcelona, especially given the Basque club’s ability to pick up result after result against the Blaugrana in recent years. Perhaps most importantly, following Sociedad’s 3-1 in over Sporting, morale has remained sky-high, especially given the fact that the Basque club leapfrogged Diego Simeone’s men to take fifth place in the table for the time being. 

“We are in a great moment and team spirit is fantastic,” Eusebio admitted last weekend. “We have experience in previous years when we have been the better team in matches, and still have lost, but this team is better than it was a year ago and we have the opportunity to keep improving.” Polishing rough edges and ironing out little flaws in their game have secured Real Sociedad important results in games that they might have let slip away from them before the summer, to put it bluntly. 

La Real are currently just eight points off top spot and four points shy of second-placed Barca, with the hosts having the chance to tug the Blaugrana further off the title pace after Malaga’s goalless draw with the Luis Enrique’s men last weekend. Only Real Madrid are on a better winning run, with Eusebio’s home form looking particularly impressive. 

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The Anoeta has been proven to be a fortress this season, with a disappointing opening 1-1 draw against Espanyol kicking things off in misleading fashion. Since the first two weeks of September, Real Sociedad have won their following four home league fixtures and kept three clean sheets in the process, with Las Palmas, Betis, Alaves and Atletico falling to defeat in San Sebastian. 

While these statistics may be impressive, it is Real Sociedad’s recent record against Barcelona at the Anoeta, which will leave Barcelona fearing a situation where they could slide up to seven points off Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.  

It has been nine years since Barca managed to conquer the Anoeta and take home three points, leading Sociedad to gain the psychological advantage of being the fabled ‘bogey’ team, and the hosts have won their last three home games against the reigning top-flight champions to justify that tag. All of the pressure is on Barça, especially when the first El Clasico of the campaign is almost upon us. 

Interestingly, Barcelona are experiencing their worst start to a league season since the 2007/2008 campaign under Frank Rijkaard, and have dropped 10 points already. Eusebio will be hoping to make it unlucky number 13.