Spanish La Liga, Barcelona vs. Real Sociedad – first half report (Part 1)
The Catalan Giants were to face Real Sociedad in their home ground, the Nou Camp. The match was supposed to be an interesting tie between the two teams, as Real Sociedad was the season’s surprise.
However, Barcelona were at the top of their game. For the past ten outings, the Spanish Champions did not lose a single game against Real Sociedad and now it was up to them to continue their record.
Another thing that really bothered the Barcelona side was the fact that Lionel Messi never found a goal against them. It was a must win game for the Blaugrana wearing side because the Los Blancos managed to take three points from their game against Real Zaragoza and just in case Barca were to lose this game they would be on level terms with Real Madrid on the points table.
There were more records to be made by Josep Guardiola in this game if it turned out to be the way he wanted. Just in case, Barcelona was to win the game without conceding a single goal, it would be for the first time ever under Guardiola that the Spanish Giants would be able to keep it six times in a row.
Pedro Rodriguez was fighting for a seventh goal in a seventh consecutive game. The last consecutive goal record of the season was kept by Lionel Messi, who scored in the first ten games but could not score against Real Madrid during the 5-0 win.
Josep Guardiola changed a few things around as his team took the position on the field. Two of the players were given the rest that they deserved, as Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets were seen sitting on the bench.
It was the first choice goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who stood between the two poles as a goal stopper. The Frenchman Eric Abidal did not feature in his favourite left back position. In fact he was played as a centre back, in the position of Gerard Pique, while the former Inter Milan man and the Brazilian full back Maxwell featured in Abidal’s position.
Carles Puyol featured in his favourite centre back position while Daniel Alves played on the right flank as a full back.
With Sergio Busquets on the bench it was the former Liverpool man Javier Mascherano, who played as a holding midfielder. However, Guardiola could not miss out on his favourite centre midfielder Xavi Hernandez.
Andres Iniesta played as a left midfielder with David Villa joining him up front on the same flank. On the other hand it was Pedro Rodriguez, who was being joined by Xavi Hernandez on the right. Lionel Messi played as centre forward but the three strikers kept on switching their positions in order to change the course of the game.
On the other hand, Real Sociedad were playing their best team as well. Trying to move forward with confidence, after a derby win against Athletic Bilbao, the Spanish mid-table side were trying their best to settle for a draw at the Nou Camp.
The premier choice goalkeeper, Claudio Bravo Munoz, featured between the two poles and he was helped by De La Bella, Ion Ansotegui Gorostola, Mikel Gonzales and Carlos Martinez Diez.
Antoine Griezmann and Joseba Llorente Extxarri played up front as strikers and they were aided by a four man midfield including Xabi Prieto, Gorka Eulstondo Urkola, Diego Rivas Gutierrez and Miel Aranburu Eizagirre.
Tags: