Why Real Sociedad will provide another tough test for Barcelona and Neymar
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Updated 25/11/2016 at 15:22 GMT
Real Sociedad will provide a huge test in Barcelona's title tilt and could derail their bid even further, writes Pete Jenson.
Barcelona's Neymar celebrates scoring their fourth goal
Image credit: Reuters
There is a luxury apartment over looking the Concha Bay in San Sebastian where David Moyes almost lived. He was sacked by Real Sociedad before he could settle into the permanent accommodation and his replacement Eusebio Sacristan now lives there instead.
The new man is doing well one year on from that change. Real Sociedad have had their best start to a season since Raynald Denoueix was in charge 14 years ago. They are up to fifth and on Sunday they face Barcelona who have lost five of their last six visits to the stadium.
It might not look much like a fortress with its running track, set-back stands and backdrop of rolling hills but Anoeta is every bit as intimidating for Barcelona as Celtic Park.
Barça players came away from Parkhead on Wednesday with ‘you’ll never walk alone’ still ringing in their ears, wowed by the atmosphere, and commenting on the tribute to the Lisbon Lions on minute 67.
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Barcelona's Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez (R) reacts after his header was saved by Celtic's Scottish goalkeeper Craig Gordon (L) during the UEFA Champions League group C football match between Celtic and Barcelona at Celtic Park in Glasgow on November 23,
Image credit: AFP
On Sunday there will be no Lions Den but Luis Enrique would almost prefer to be back in Glasgow because he has never won at the home of Real Sociedad in three attempts as a coach.
With his first La Liga club, Celta Vigo, he lost 4-3 with Carlos Vela scoring all four. He might have imagined things would be easier with Barcelona but he made them difficult by leaving Leo Messi and Neymar on the bench two years ago and, courtesy of a Jordi Alba own goal, La Real won 1-0.
That was Moyes’ finest hour at the club and it was a massive crossroads in Barça’s season. Upset at being ‘rested’ having come back late from the winter break with the specific permission of Luis Enrique (it was the boss’s idea), Messi called in sick for the next training session and his manager – having alienated the most important player in the club’s history – looked on borrowed time.
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Real Sociedad coach David Moyes reacts during their Spanish first division soccer match against Barcelona at Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian January 4, 2015. REUTERS/Vincent West
Image credit: Reuters
Xavi intervened by talking to Messi and things were smoothed over. Barça won the treble at the end of the season and the January 1-0 defeat is now almost celebrated as a ‘where it all began’ moment. But all the same Barça went back to Anoeta last season – this time missing the suspended Suarez – and lost 1-0. They weren’t quite as bad as 12 months earlier but Geronimo Rulli was brilliant in goal for them and after Mikel Oyarzabal’s fifth-minute goal they could find no way back.
So will the curse of Anoeta strike again?
If former Barça European Cup winner and B team coach Eusebio were to guide his side to three points and Real Madrid were to beat Sporting Gijon 24 hours earlier on Saturday then Barça could go into the Clasico six days later knowing defeat would leave them 10 points adrift of Real Madrid. Unthinkable in December.
With David Zurutuza and Asier Illarramendi playing well in midfield, centre-back Iñigo Martínez back in the Spain squad, Vela claiming recent fatherhood has matured him enough that he is now going to finally make the most of his huge talent, and Willian José alongside him in attack looking like one of the signings of the season, things are looking positive.
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Atletico Madrid's Gabi (R) fights for the ball with Real Sociedad's David Zurutuza
Image credit: Reuters
The 25-year-old Brazilian has scored six goals in 10 starts since arriving from Las Palmas in the summer and both he and Vela netted in La Real’s last home game – a 2-0 win over Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
A lot will depend on how Neymar handles the evening. He is a booking away from missing the Clasico and is bound to be wound up by the home team who saw his petulance against Celtic when he picked a fight with Mikael Lustig just to earn the booking that clears him of suspensions for the knockout stages of the Champions League.
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Barcelona's Neymar celebrates scoring their fourth goal
Image credit: Reuters
He has his off-the-field problems with the Spanish Prosecutor asking for a two-year prison spell for alleged fraud. He has never once let the controversy over his move from Santos to Barcelona affect his form. And concerns of next year’s case and accusations he mislead the third party sports investment company due a cut of his transfer, don’t seem to be getting to him either. But he has scored just six this season and that’s seven fewer than at this stage of last year’s campaign.
Neymar was pelted with missiles as he took a corner at Celtic Park on Tuesday, someone even managed to throw their drink at him. You would need some arm to hit the target across that running track from the set-back stands at Anoeta, but cauldron or no cauldron Real Sociedad know they have the beating of Barcelona and they will provide a huge test.
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