All Bar�a�s football

Match

Marcador del partit

Date: Saturday, 10 Sep
Competition: ???label.competicio0???
Stadium: Anoeta, San Sebasti�n

Resultat:

R.Sociedad: 2
FC Barcelona: 2

Match report

Match Report
Pre-Match

Match Report

More info

Goals

0-1 Xavi (min 9)
0-2 Cesc (min 11)
1-2 Agirretxe (min 59)
2-2 Griezman (min 61)

Two points dropped (2-2)

Jordi Clos

Bar�a have drawn at Real Sociedad in a game that seemed under control after Xavi and Cesc had scored early goals. However, the Catalans lost control of things in the second half, and allowed the home to score twice in a minute.

Once again Bar�a have struggled in a match played immediately after an international break. The starting line-up raised a few eyebrows, with Busquets and Font�s as the centre backs and Leo Messi among the players on the bench. Pep Guardiola also switched back to a traditional 4-3-3. Everything was going to plan when, in the 9th and 11th minutes, Bar�a had already put the ball in Bravo’s net twice. But despite dominating the possession, there were no further goals and Real Sociedad salvaged a point with two back-to-back goals shortly after the restart.

Early lead

Bar�a looked a little unsteady early on, but soon found the way to beat Phillipe Montanier’s strategy – getting behind the Real defensive line, which was taking risks by pushing so far forward. That is how both of the visitors’ goals were scored, the first when Cesc provided a delightful pass to Alexis who then found Xavi, who tapped the ball home. The game had barely resumed before Cesc was in action again, this time supplying Pedro, whose shot was parried away by the keeper, and the former Arsenal man was there to convert the rebound.

Alexis injured

The defending champions could afford to relax now that they had secured a two-goal cushion, and concentrated instead on holding onto possession, frustrating Real as they patiently waited the chance to add to their tally. The game was totally in Bar�a’s control, who played serious but effective football, and the only sour note of an excellent first half display was the loss of Alexis S�nchez to injury on the half hour. His place was taken by Villa.

Real pull back

Few predicted anything other than more of the same in the second half. Agirretxe did provide a warning when a 57th minute effort narrowly skimmed wide of the post, but worse was to come moments later when the same player pulled a goal back for the Basque side with a tremendous header. Just two minutes later Agirretxe was at it again, this time intercepting a careless back-pass by Villa and chipping the ball over Vald�s. Busquets turned the ball onto the crossbar, but Griezman pounced on the rebound to score the equaliser. Guardiola immediately responded by sending on Messi and Iniesta and opting for a 3-4-3 system for the rest of the game.

Bar�a now found themselves desperately needing a third goal, and upped the ante with a far more aggressive and ambitious approach. Villa, Pedro and Messi all had chances, but the home side had grown enormously in confidence, and buoyed by a vociferous Anoeta managed to hang on to come out of this game with an unexpected point.

Preview

Back with reinforcements

Jordi Clos

Bar�a get back to Liga action in San Sebastian (18.00, Canal + and R@dio Bar�a) with Puyol, Afellay, Adriano and Maxwell all back in the squad. Guardiola has taken all 20 players available.

Now that the international break is over, Bar�a have their second game of the league season away at Anoeta, home of Real Sociedad. It seems like an age since they played their first league game against Villarreal ( 5-0 ), but now they have a veritable marathon of matches ahead of them, with 7 games in 23 days. No sooner will this trip be over than the team will be focusing on a home fixture against Milan at the Camp Nou.

Captain back

Pep Guardiola will be delighted to know he has no fewer than four players back to full fitness, namely Carles Puyol, Ibrahim Afellay, Adriano Correia and Maxwell, the former barely having played for seven months. Having just been awarded the Gold Medal by the Parliament of Catalonia, the FCB manager has decided to take all 20 players with him and they will be sleeping over in the Basque Country on Friday night. The only Bar�a player missing through injury is Gerard Piqu�.

This is always a difficult time for Barcelona, with no fewer than 14 players just back from international duty.

Real off to good start

Real Sociedad started their season with an away win at Sporting Gij�n. They have a new manager in Philippe Montanier, who is renowned for creating attractive football and his aim to make it back to back wins for Real against Bar�a after the 2-1 win last season. He will have to try to do that without the suspended defender Carlos Mart�nez.

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Match

Marcador del partit

Resultat:

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Match Report

Goals

Two points dropped (2-2)

Preview

Back with reinforcements

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