By Goal.com News on Wednesday, 13 January 2021
Category: Goal.com News

LIVE: Real Sociedad vs Barcelona

4' WHAT A SAVE! The ball comes out to Zaldua and the Socieded man unleashes an effort that looks destined for the top corner before Ter Stegen tips it over the bar.

3' De Jong is up to head clear from a Sociedad free-kick as the game settles into a similar rhythm

2' Dembele almost works space to shoot on the edge of the box but the sheer numbers Sociedad have in defence make it impossible in the end.

1' Barcelona get the first period of extra time underway!

Oyarzabal's second-half penalty cancelled out De Jong's opener for Barcelona as the teams end the 90 minutes locked at 1-1. It was an end-to-end affair that could have gone either way so let's see if an extra 30 minutes can separate the sides.

90' + 2' END OF 90 MINUTES: REAL SOCIEDAD 1-1 BARCELONA

90' + 1' Le Normand defends well from Dembele before Barcelona work the ball back forward. The hosts scramble it clear in what is likely the last act of the 90 minutes.

90' + 1' There will be one minute of added time!

90' Merino gets on the end of Oyarzabal's delivery but the header is deflected clear by Mingueza who knew very little about it.

89' Monreal feeds Isak on the left flank and the forward wins a corner off De Jong.

88' Araujo launches it forward and Dembele forces a throw-in. Alba then floats a ball to the back post where De Jong does his best to win his duel, but Sociedad clear.

87' Despite the late stage, the intensity has actually dropped slightly. Merino lines up a shot but is dispossessed by Lenglet before the referee blows for a Barcelona free-kick.

86' We enter the final five minutes of what has been an end-to-end contest. Can either side find a late winner or will this game go beyond the regulation 90 minutes?

84' A threatening move comes to nothing when Trincao loses out on the right-hand side.

83' Barcelona almost create a golden opportunity to go ahead. Dembele bursts down the right before cutting the ball back into the box but it's just behind Griezmann.

81' Sociedad almost open up their opponents again but the Barcelona defence scramble the ball to safety.

80' Oyarzabal is well found from a goal-kick but can't bring the ball under control He would've had only a couple of defenders in his way had he done better.

78' Lenglet gets on the end of the corner but can't direct his header on target.

77' SAVE! Some lovely quick feet from Pedri opens up a yard of space for the Spaniard to take a shot on. It's on target and forces Remiro to tip it over the bar for a corner.

76' Pedri does well to get into the box before he is down. There's a half-hearted appeal for a penalty but the referee is having none of it.

75' Barcelona defend a corner well before their opponents work it into space on the right flank. However, Gorosabel's first-time cross is sliced out for a goal-kick.

74' Barcelona have won this competition a record 13 times. If they're to make it 14, they'll need to overcome a spirited Real Sociedad here!

72' Barcelona spray it around in front of the organised Sociedad defence. Slowly, the White and Blues push out and force their opponents back to Ter Stegen. The away side try again, but an attempted throughball for Dembele is misplaced and out for a Sociedad goal-kick.

70' Isak gets to the byline and draws Ter Stegen out his goal. The forward dinks the ball back into the box but it doesn't fall to a teammate and the visitors can clear.

69' SHOT! The hosts keep possession well and work Portu into space for a shot. He shifts it onto his right before flashing an attempt wide of the post!

67' Barcelona play it from right to left in an attempt to open up some space. The hosts hold firm before La Blaugrana come again. They're being patient until Dembele scorches past Monreal and whips in a low cross that is eventually cleared.

65' Portu does well to thwart an attempted break from De Jong before the hosts settle into what, by this game's standards, could be classed as a comfortable spell of possession.

63' JUST WIDE! Sociedad press forward momentarily before Barca break again. A lovely move ends with Dembele who cuts in from the right and fires a shot that flashes inches wide.

62' CLOSE AGAIN! The ball is loose in the Socieded box but it just won't fall for a Barca player who would've had the simplest of tap-ins.

61' CLOSE! The Catalonian side play the ball around nicely in a tight space before a chance almost falls for Braithwaite. He's on the stretch and does his best to nudge it goalward, but Sociedad are able to escape.

59' OVER! A ball to the back post falls for Griezmann to strike on the volley. It's well hit, but flies a couple of yards over Remiro's bar.

57' What a frantic start we've had to the second half. Sociedad are in an advanced position again and win a corner after Alba and then Lenglet are called upon.

56' Isak lines up the free-kick but his effort is tame, striking the middle of the Barcelona wall.

52' Immediately, the visitors create a chance to restore their lead. De Jong is clean through and has a golden opportunity to score, but delays a fraction too long, allowing Gorosabel to nip in and steal the ball away. The referee appears to point to the spot at first, before the free-kick is given to Sociedad.

51' VAR confirms the penalty!

49' PENALTY REAL SOCIEDAD! Guridi breaks forward and finds Merino on the left. The midfielder whips an early cross in that strikes De Jong on the arm and, after taking an extra second or two to think about it, the referee points to the spot. It will be checked by VAR.

48' Busquets does well to turn Guridi before being clipped and drawing a free-kick from the referee.

47' Right from the off, the hosts press forward. Monreal and Oyarzabal ghost up the left-hand side before winning a corner. It comes to nothing and Barcelona break with Griezmann. Mingueza has space to cross from the right but it's well cleared.

46' We're back underway for the second half!

With just a goal in it, the game is evenly poised. Prior to the breakthrough, Barcelona had looked vulnerable on the break so the hosts will remain optimistic they can get back into it. Conversely, Koeman will be hoping his side can push on and perhaps exploit the extra space they might be afforded to increase their advantage and progress without any late headaches. The second half is next!

Barcelona lead Real Sociedad 1-0 at the break thanks to De Jong's goal in the 39th minute. Both sides enjoyed spells when they were in the ascendency, but it was the visitors that made it count when Griezmann picked out his Dutch teammate whose header looped over Remiro into the far corner. Earlier, the hosts had enjoyed a promising start and threatened to score, but couldn't find that extra bit of quality required.

45' + 1' HALF-TIME: REAL SOCIEDAD 0-1 BARCELONA

44' CLOSE! The White and Blues come again and the space opens up on the left. Monreal is played in behind and tries to pick out a teammate in the box but it is agonisingly out of reach as it dribbles across the box.

41' SAVE! Isak has another shot on Ter Stegen's goal as the hosts look for an immediate equaliser. It's from distance but it's struck well, forcing the Barca keeper to palm it clear rather than catch.

38' The hosts have a chance to break after absorbing a spell of pressure. The ball is at the feet of Oyarzabal but instead of picking out a teammate, he decides to charge towards goal and is easily dispossessed.

36' SHOT! Griezmann has the ball on the edge of the area and decides to take the shot on. It's well blocked but the loose ball dribbles out for Dembele who follows suit, striking his first-time effort high and wide.

34' Dembele sizes up his options but is staring at the entire opposition team. The ball is eventually worked to Pedri in the box but there's nothing he can do in such little space and Sociedad clear briefly.

32' La Blaugrana break forward again and there looks to be an ocean of space to exploit behind the Sociedad defence that is high up the pitch. However, Le Normand times his last-ditch challenge to perfection, thwarting the breakaway chance.

30' Barcelona have another chance as Dembele does well to get to the byline on the right-hand side. He dinks the ball to the back post where Alba is waiting and attempts an audacious bicycle-kick volley. It's flying wide but is kept in before the hosts eventually scramble the ball to safety.

29' CHANCE! The visitors are finally able to create a pocket of space and it's for Mingueza who has burst up the right flank. He whips in a delivery that Braithwaite gets on the end of but can't control, with the ball going out for a goal-kick.

27' Some lovely skill from Dembele keeps the visitors in possession with the Frenchman then feeding Pedri on the left flank. However, he is surrounded by Sociedad defenders and eventually loses possession.

26' SAVE! Braithwaite is well found by Araujo with a ball over the top. The forward takes a good first touch before firing a low effort that is well saved by Remiro.

25' Guridi is penalised in the middle of the park for a foul on Busquets.

23' Pedri does well to steal the ball away from Monreal. It's worked across to the left and when the space opens up for Lenglet, he can't help himself but take the long-range shot on. However, it's dragged well wide of the mark.

21' De Jong is dispossessed in the middle of the park and here they come again. The ball in from the right looks to be perfectly weighted for Merino but Isak fancies having a go himself and wastes the chance.

20' Mingueza is forced to block a shot from the edge of the box as Sociedad continue to pour forward. Can they make their early pressure count?

19' Mingueza gives away a needless free-kick in a dangerous area. The ball is loose briefly before the referee blows for a Barcelona free-kick.

17' CHANCES! Dembele takes on Monreal and gets the better of him before cutting into the box and having a shot that is well blocked. The hosts immediately go on the attack with another chance opening up for Isak. This time, Ter Stegen is quick off his line to tighten the angle and save the striker's attempted chip.

16' Monreal has acres of space on the left flank to pick out a cross. He whips it in towards the near post and Isak gets to it first but can only direct his effort a long way over the bar.

14' Griezmann finds space on the right and is found well by De Jong. Cover quickly comes out to crowd the Frenchman out.

13' From a corner, the hosts go close again but Le Normand's header is straight into the arms of a grateful Ter Stegen.

11' WIDE! This is a chance. It's sloppy from Alba and then Griezmann who both lose out to Gorosabel. The Sociedad defender finds Portu in space in the box but the forward drags his effort wide.

10' Play is stopped as Merino is down after a clash with Busquets. The Barcelona midfielder won the ball but his leg caught Merino in the knee on the follow-through.

10' Now that the early pressing phase appears to be over, Sociedad have settled into what looks like a 5-4-1 shape. Let's see how that plays out for them.

8' Dembele swings the ball in from the right but it's well cleared by Monreal who took a sore one from Braithwaite in the process. 

7' Monreal catches Griezmann and concedes a free-kick. The Frenchman is down momentarily but he's fine to continue.

6' Barcelona enjoy a brief spell of possession but they're being swarmed at every opportunity. The game has yet to settle.

4' CHANCE! The White and Blues go close when Isak gets on the end of a good cross from the right. Ter Stegen would likely have had it covered had the header been on target but that's an early warning for the visitors.

3' The opening exchanges have been scrappy with neither side really able to bring the ball under control. The hosts are pressing high and with energy which has Barcelona unsettled.

1' The referee blows his whistle and Barcelona get us underway here at the Nuevo Arcangel. 

The players are emerging from the tunnel and kick-off is moments away!

Opposite number Ronald Koeman has also made three changes from the side that thumped Granada. Araujo and Lenglet join the defence in place of Dest and Umtiti, but the big news is that Lionel Messi is out. The Argentinian appeared to signal to the bench that he wanted to be taken off late on against Granada so perhaps he is nursing a slight knock. Braithwaite starts through the middle in his place with Dembele and Griezmann either side.

Imanol Alguacil has made three changes to his starting XI. Monreal returns after a spell on the sidelines, slotting in for Munoz at left-back, while beside him starts Le Normand with Sagnan dropping to the bench. The only other change comes in midfield with Guevara preferred ahead of Zubimendi in the middle of the park. David Silva remains out.

BARCELONA SUBS: Miralem Pjanic, Inaki Pena, Neto, Samuel Umtiti, Trincao, Junior Firpo, Riqui Puig, Ilaix Moriba, Sergino Dest.

BARCELONA (4-3-3): Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Oscar Mingueza, Ronald Araujo, Clement Lenglet, Jordi Alba; Frenkie de Jong, Sergio Busquets, Pedri; Ousmane Dembele, Martin Braithwaite, Antoine Griezmann.

REAL SOCIEDAD SUBS: Joseba Zaldua, Jon Bautista, Aihen Munoz, Ander Barrenetxea, Willian Jose, Modibo Sagnan, Martin Zubimendi, Adnan Januzaj, Gaizka Ayesa.

REAL SOCIEDAD (4-3-3): Alex Remiro; Andoni Gorosabel, Igor Zubeldia, Robin Le Normand, Nacho Monreal; Jon Guridi, Ander Guevara, Mikel Merino; Portu, Alexander Isak, Mikel Oyarzabal.

It’s a completely different story for their opponents who enter the contest on an eight-game unbeaten run. Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann both bagged a brace in a 4-0 win over Granada last time out that moved La Blaugrana up to third in the La Liga standings - albeit they remain seven points behind Atletico Madrid having played two more games. However, the focus will be away from that for now as they look to progress into another final.

The 37th Spanish Supercopa begins as the White and Blues welcome a rejuvenated Barcelona. After a promising start to the 2020-21 domestic campaign, the hosts now find themselves on a dismal run having picked up just one win from their last 12 matches in all competitions. In their most recent outing, they lost 3-2 away to Sevilla so maybe a two-week break to focus on cup competitions is just what they need.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Spanish Supercopa semi-final meeting between Real Sociedad and Barcelona from the Nuevo Arcangel.

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