Full time: Real Sociedad 1-0 Barcelona
David Moyes is a football genius!
Updated
90+4: Canales wins a free-kick, much to the frustration of Alves, who kicks the ball away. He should be sent-off for dissent as he’s already of a second yellow, but none of Sociedad’s players appeal, and the referee also ignores. Both presumably are too preoccupied by the imminent final whistle…
90+3 min: Rulli holds the cross, but as he about to hoof it upfield, Neymar nicks the ball midair and walks the ball into the net. He did absolutely nothing wrong there, the goal should have stood! Such risky behaviour from the goalkeeper!
90+2 min: Messi is cynically fouled - yellow card for Markel – giving Barcelona the opportunity to do what they do best, lump it into the box yeah?
Updated
90 min: Three minutes added for injury time, can Moyes’s team hold on?! The atmosphere is electric!
87 min: Finnbogason catches Alba late, and the left back responds by confronting the Finnish striker. Both are booked, things are getting heated! Vela limps off, he’s replaced by Pardo.
85 min: Two huge chances for Luis Suarez! He takes neither. First he is sent clean through, one on one with Rulli. He feints first left then right, but Rulli reads his intentions to go around him, and gets a fingertip. Miss the ball, and it would surely have been a penalty but you have to say that’s a great save!
Secondly, Suarez’s bullet header again foiled by Rulli. The Uruguayan was completely unmarked, and his effort was from almost point blank range, but Rulli’s wrists remained strong, with Busquets ruled offside as he followed up!
82 min: Moyes is going postal on the sidelines, it’s not clear what at. Or in what language.
This is more like it! Danny Wilson!
81 min: Sociedad are finally able to give their defence a breather, earning a cheap corner. Moyes is gesticulating wildly for them to take it short, and they do so, before crossing into the box. There’s a bit of head tennis, but it comes to nothing.
Updated
79 min: An absolutely wonderful defensive header by C. Martinez clear’s Sociedad’s lines once more. But the stand out performance of the night so far is Sociedad’s other Martinez, Iñigo, who has been a rock at centre back. Messi dinks a nutmeg through his legs, but I.Martinez recovers well. Pace and guile there, beyond his 23 years.
75 min: Barcelona are piling on the pressure here, and only desperate defending by Sociedad is keeping them ahead. Neymar has the initial chance, but takes an extra touch which allows C. Martinez to make a block tackle. Next Xavi’s cross is met by Alves at the back post, but his touch back into the danger zone is scrambled clear. Della Bella is perhaps a little too zealous in his challenge on Busquets, but Sociedad somehow survive! Alves is booked as Sociedad break. Shock…
Updated
72 min: Messi is dispossessed by Granero, perhaps unfairly, but the Argentinian makes absolutely no attempt to win back the ball, and instead walks off in the opposite direction with his head stooped. You might argue that Messi is a better player than years gone by, but his attitude is worse, for sure.
What about millennial French Rock outfit Astonvilla (no spaces)?’ suggests Paul Griffin. ‘They aren’t critical favourites, never win any prizes and haven’t troubled the top of the charts for years. Insert your own football-related gag here. Here’s some of their music: it’s crap.’
Updated
68 min: Barcelona’s turn to make a change, their final one of the night. Alves on, Mathieu off. He’s had his pants pulled down a few times tonight, and is lucky to still be on the field.
66 min: Another sweeping move and it’s no coincidence that Barcelona are looking more dangerous now that Messi and Neymar are on. The Catalan side work the left channel, resulting in Alba cutting it back for Neymar, whose weak shot from around the penalty spot is straight at Rulli.
Moyes takes off Castro for Finnbogason, a striker who cost Sociedad €8m in the summer. That’s a surprising change, Castro has been a thorn in the side of Barcelona all night.
65 min: The referee is accidentally tripped up and plomped on his behind by Neymar. Hilarity ensues.
64 min: Needless foul by Della Bella on the edge of the Sociedad area. Messi over it (obviously), but he curls the ball a yard over the bar.
62 min: Chance for Messi! He plays a one-two with Neymar and only a quite magnificent last-ditch challenge from I. Martinez prevents the Argentinian from finishing the move. Sociedad hack it out. Barcelona are getting closer.
Updated
60 min: Chance for Sociedad! Vela hugs the touchline before delivering an excellent cross to the back post. Xabi Prieto climbs above the diminutive Alba, but he can’t get over the ball, and the ball sails over from four yards out. Surely a goal there if he gets it on target.
Neymar is on for Pedro, he’s had a poor game.
Updated
56 min: Vela has a Suarez-esque way of wriggling past his opponents, this time Busquets is his victim on Sociedad’s left flank. Vela drives into the box and releases Castro, but his shot is deflected behind, with the corner subsequently well defended.
53 min: Mathieu really is having a nightmare out there. Once again, he’s left for dead, and Sociedad counter-attack with Castro, but Busquets makes an excellent challenge to let his centre back off the hook.
50 min: A Barcelona attack breaks down and Markel finds Casto’s feet. Mathieu is in close attendance and chops down the winger, who had flicked the ball beyond him. Oooo, surely a second yellow for the Frenchman? No! The referee lets the defender off with what must surely be his last warning. Lucky boy. Granero is booked for his protestations as he tries to get Mathieu sent off.
47 min: Messi has already been fouled twice. Granero smiles wryly. He knows what he’s in for this second half.
Peeep peep, and we’re off again!
Barcelona so far never won a Liga away game against Real Sociedad after losing at half-time #fcblive [via mrchip]
— barcastuff (@barcastuff) January 4, 2015
The teams are back out, and surprise, surprise, this man has joined the field of play, in place of Munir.
Possession stats: Barcelona had 80% of the thing in the first half, but it is fair to say Sociedad had the better chances.
‘The Canales turn that left the Barca defender sliding his arse on the grass like one of those dogs in heat was a true highlight for me,’ writes Ian Copestake.
Canales vs Montoya https://t.co/LSCul3hm6h
— Football Live Goals (@FootyLiveVines) January 4, 2015
Half time entertainment.
Not exactly what I was looking for (songs written/performed by people that share their name with any prominent football players/managers) but how can I ignore a soulful Alessandro Del Piero when he is in this kind of form.
@michaelbutler18 How about Juventus sing II Mio Cante Libero https://t.co/sct8JoY2kS > It’s pretty good in fairness
— Richard Fahey (@faheyr) January 4, 2015
Half time: Real Sociedad 1-0 Barcelona
No stoppage time, which is strange considering the number of fouls. Moyes will be delighted.
44 min: Pedro tries a shot from range, and it’s a lot more dangerous: swerving and dipping. Rullis is completely deceived but somehow manages to get some kind of body part behind it, and the ball rolls away to safety.
42 min: Another booking, this time for I. Martinez. Suarez tries the nutmeg on the defender who dives in, the ball actually hits Martinez on the arse, rather than the hand, which is what Suarez appealed for. Oooo Moyes isn’t happy with that. He’s off his bench, swearing in English and doing that hand/chatty thing in the direction of Suarez.
Yes Moyes v Suarez is actually happening!
40 min: Canales picks the ball up and with the drop of a shoulder, leaves Montoya for dead inside the Barcelona box, before unleashing a shot that is tipped behind by Bravo. Woof.
DON’T WORRY GUYS, MESSI IS WARMING UP.
Updated
38 min: Vela booked for diving! Again he is the fulcrum of Sociedad’s attack, and dribbles up the middle and looks to have committed Mascherano, but replays show that he was already going down before the Argentinian tackled. It’s a harsh yellow, as there was contact, even if Vela was looking for it.
35 min: Vela again picks up a wayward clearance and goes at Mathieu. The Frenchman has no answer for Vela’s quick feet and cynically bring him down. Yellow card.
33 min: Chance for Sociedad! Penalty shout too! Vela beats Montoya and whips a low cross into what some people might describe as the corridor of uncertainty between defenders and goalkeepers. Nobody touches it, perhaps in part to Alba’s grappling at the back stick – Xabi Prieto complains, with good reason, that he was being held back. Replays show Alba had Prieto’s neck!
31 min: Mascherano gets fed up with all this pretty tiki taka and takes aim from range, a full 40 yards out. It flies about 40 yards over the crossbar, remember the Argentinian has yet to score for Barcelona since signing in 2010.
30 min: Penalty shout for Barcelona! Pedro gets to the byline and crosses low and hard – Martinez gets a toe to it, but it only serves to deflect it onto the arm of Ansotegui. It wasn’t deliberate, and there wasn’t much he could do but the touch prevented Suarez from getting on the end of it. If that was in the Camp Nou, you’d bet that would have been given.
27 min: Xavi turns cooly in the middle and releases Montoya who takes a touch on the byline and flashes the ball across the six-yard box. The ball is a touch behind the Munir, who tries a deft flick, but the 19-year-old fails to get a connection on the ball, and it is forced behind for a corner. Barcelona’s best move, they’re improving here.
24 min: Real Sociedad take a quick free kick, but with players up the pitch, they lose the ball, and Suarez is able to lead a dangerous counter-attack. He dribbles up the middle and releases Pedro on the left, but the pass is behind the Spaniard and after sorting out his stride, Pedro blazes over with his left foot from a narrow angle. He was off-balance.
Updated
21 min: Just over! It wasn’t far away.
Charles Antaki on the email: ‘Luis Enrique’s style has obliged Barcelona to be more active and ostensibly direct, but the result is just looking hectic and a bit desperate. Even with Xavi in the middle it’s hard to recognise the calm domination of the classic years. The may well get nothing from this game (or the season).’
After a trophyless season last year, Enrique surely won’t survive this one if he doesn’t bring home any shiny bacon. But as has been mentioned, they are well positioned in all competitions, if not this game.
20 min: Montoya cuts in from the right, and while Castro tracks him, he clips the right-back and Barcelona have a very promising position 25 yards out from goal. This would suit Messi perfectly on his left as it is stationed just right on the goal, but it’s Xavi to step up instead…
16 min: In Munir, Suarez and Pedro, Barcelona have a typically lightning quick attack, but Sociedad are more than happy to sit deep on their 18-yard line. There’s no room in behind for the trio to exploit, and so it’s mainly crosses coming into the Sociedad box, with little effect.
14 min: Vela is a strange looking man isn’t he. Seems to be of a portly stature but he is lightning quick. The Mexican burns Alba up the right touchline, which is no mean feat, but unfortunately runs the ball out of play. Vela has only just returned from injury, he missed the final two games of 2014.
12 min: It’s attack v defence at the moment: Sociedad haven’t got out of their own half in about five minutes. Despite all this, Barcelona have yet to have a meaningful effort on goal.
10 min: Sociedad have dropped from their 4-3-3 into more of a 4-5-1. They’ll be hard to break down – Moyes’s teams over the years have sometimes lacked imagination, but never organisation.
8 min: Suarez chases down a seemingly lost cause and Ansotegui looks to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick, but Suarez is typically slippery and manages to worm his way round the defender and retrieve the ball. The referee gives a free-kick but that was never a foul, and Suarez lets the official know.
6 min: Barcelona win a corner which is cleared before finding it’s way out to Montoya on the right, but his delivery into the box is poor. With Alves on the bench, Montoya will be under scrutiny tonight, and for all of Alves’s faults, the Brazilian is excellent at crossing from wide areas.
4 min: Vela is full of running as he latches onto a Sociedad clearance, again forcing Mathieu into conceding a cheap throw. There’s that aggressive pressing Enrique was worried about.
It was a pacy cross from the left-boot of Canales that curled in to the six-yard area and Alba, overstretching with his head could only flick it past Bravo at the near post! Alba’s face sinks into the turf but Barcelona players pick him up. Sociedad goes mad, Moyes looks unmoved, Luis Enrique looks livid.
Updated
GOAL! Real Sociedad 1-0 Barcelona (og Alba 2)
Moyes 1-0 Suárez!
2 min: Vela collects a throw in down the line and wins a cheap corner off Mathieu. The holding there on Vela by Alba in the box is scandalous, but it’s cleared. Another corner, it comes short to Canales who crosses…
Peeeep! And we’re off!
The teams are out: Barcelona in their tradish blue and red, Real Sociedad in their blue and white.
If any of you out there have any more songs written/performed by people that share their name with any prominent football players/manager, I’m all ears. Email michael.butler@theguardian.com or tweet me @michaelbutler18 with suggestions or links. Think of this as a joint MBM/Sunday night ballad festival.
TUNE:
Despite the fact that Barcelona can overtake winning-streak extraordinaires Real Madrid at the top of La Liga with a win here, manager Luis Enrique continues to be criticised for the team’s perceived lack of fluidity. That may be down to the fact that he has chosen 23 different line-ups in 23 different matches this season.
Here’s what he has to say about tonight’s game:
Real [Sociedad] press more aggressively since Moyes is their coach. If we’re not intense, we’ll suffer. It’s a good test for us. Very motivated to go for three points. Aware we face a rival against which we’ve lost twice and drew three games past years.
Indeed, Sociedad’s recent record is excellent against Barcelona: they have won three of the last seven league encounters, with one draw.
Updated
Team news
Hmm: seems that Japanese television and Brazilian beaches have take their toll after all… Messi and Alves (and Neymar!) are on the Barcelona bench tonight! They only got back from their travels two days ago, but still...
To clarify: Luis Enrique granted them those extra two days. So it seems an odd decision.
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) January 4, 2015
Don’t worry though Suárez v Moyes is still on!
Real Sociedad 4-3-3: Rulli - C Martínez, I Martínez, Ansotegui, Della Bella - Prieto, Bergara, Granero - Choric Castro, Canales, Vela
Subs: Zubikarai, Finnbogason, R. Pardo, Yuri, Gaztañaga, Hervías, A. Elustondo
Barcelona 4-3-3: Bravo - Montoya, Mascherano, Mathieu, Alba - Xavi (c), Busquets, Iniesta - Munir, Suarez, Pedro
Subs: Ter Stegen, Alves, Pique, Rakitic, Rafinha, Messi, Neymar
Updated
Preamble
Luis Suárez likes scoring in front of David Moyes. When the latter was Everton manager, Suárez scored in each of his three visits to Goodison Park, and also netted a crucial equaliser for Liverpool in a 2-1 win over their local rivals in the 2012 FA Cup semi final.
Perhaps most memorably, Suárez did this in front of the Everton bench after Moyes branded the Uruguayan as a diver before the game. That’ll teach em’ Luis.
Needless to say, Moyes has been a little-less incendiary this time around in approaching this game as Real Sociedad manager – Suárez may have scored just one La Liga goal in eight appearances, the Scot may have been wise not to give Barcelona’s No9 another motive to put the ball in the onion bag.
While you wouldn’t be able to tell from this preamble, there are of course bigger things at stake than Suárez v Moyes in this La Liga clash. Following Real Madrid’s defeat earlier today at Valencia, ending their quite ridiculous 22-match winning run, Barcelona can go two points clear at the top of the table with a win in San Sebastián.
This is also the first La Liga game back after the two-week winter break and it remains to be seen what effect that may have had on some of the players’ match sharpness. Lionel Messi has spent his time off kicking balls over 18-metre beams on Japanese television whilst Dani Alves has been enjoying some Dani Alves time on lush Brazilian beaches during his Christmas break. Dani knows where’s it’s at: if Barcelona are banned from replacing him with a new right-back until 2016, DANI ALVES CAN DO WHAT HE WANTS.
Although Barcelona are under a transfer embargo, Real Sociedad certainly aren’t, and with Moyes reportedly keen on bringing in loan signings this January – including Manchester United’s Adnan Januzaj, Chelsea’s Mohamed Salah and Everton’s Arouna Koné – many under-performing Sociedad players will want to impress tonight.
Suárez v Moyes kick off: 8pm GMT
