Five factors that make Barcelona trips to face Real Sociedad so tricky

Barcelona have not won at Anoeta since May 5, 2007, with Frank Rijkaard as coach and Miguel Angel Lotina as Real Sociedad’s boss. Goals from Andres Iniesta and Samuel Eto’o earned Barcelona victory. That season la Real were relegated but since they returned Anoeta has become a cursed ground for Barcelona. In six visits to San Sebastian they have five defeats and a draw. Why? Here are five factors… 

CALENDAR

Circumstances have seen the calendar play its part. In 2010-11 Barcelona played there between two highly important games, the semi-final first and second legs in the Champions League against Real Madrid. Guardiola went for a weak XI (Pinto, Fontas, Montoya and Jeffren started) and Philippe Montanier’s la Real won the game 2-1, starting the bad run.

The next season Barcelona went in week three, just after an international break. The FIFA virus affected the team, Pep went without Villa and Messi and la Real earned a draw from 2-0 down. 

With Tata Martino the game arrived at a bad moment again, just after the Champions League clash with Man City and the Copa del Rey semi-final games—also against Real Sociedad. Barcelona drew 1-1 on Feb 12, 2014 in the Copa away at Sociedad (progressing 3-1 on aggregate) but were accused of arrogance after the game and when they met in La Liga a few days later it was a different story. The hosts were fired up and won 3-1.

Last year it was complicated too, with the game between the two Champions League quarter-final legs against Atletico. Barcelona lost 1-0 and a few days later were knocked out of Europe.

ROTATIONS

For some reasons Barcelona coaches think it’s a good idea to rotate there. Tata Martino, for example, tried Alex Song as pivote. Pep had Messi and Villa on the bench. Lucho sat out Messi, Neymar and Alves in 2015, the game which led to a big crisis at the club. “Personally I think there are three away trips where coaches should not rotate, San Sebastian, Bilbao and Pamplona,” said journalist Mikel Recalde. “Because they are teams rooted in their cities and their people, and when they hosts the big sides, they grow. They create an atmosphere which is very special.” Last year was no exception. Arda, Munir, Rafinha and Sergi Roberto played, who weren’t regulars at that point.

ADVANTAGE IN LA LIGA

What should be a good thing has ended up being inconvenient. Recently it has been usual for Barcelona to arrive at San Sebastian with the feeling the league was half-won. It happened in 2010-11, for example. Barcelona took on the game as leaders with eight points on Real Madrid. It was week 34 and the game was practically in the bag. Similar happened with Tito Villanova in charge. In week 20 they were leader by a distance, with 11 points on Atletico and 18 on third, Real Madrid. Even last year Barcelona arrived in week 32 and had a six point lead on Atletico and seven on Real Madrid. 

LA REAL, COMEBACK KINGS

Real Sociedad have been up and down in recent years, with squads or more less quality, but they have always had a common denominator: tough at Anoeta. Against Barcelona they have been kings at coming from behind. In 2011 they won 2-1 after Thiago Alcantara opened the scoring. 

In 2011-12 Barcelona were 2-0 up and it finished 2-2. History repeated itself in 2012-13: Barcelona went up 2-0 with goals from Messi and Pedro, but Chory Castro and Agirretxe got the hosts back into it. They recovered their strength after three seasons in the second division (2007-10). 

HOME AND AWAY

In recent years Real Sociedad have been easy for Barcelona to beat at Camp Nou, but very strong at Anoeta. This difference has conditioned Barcelona’s players, who may have travelled there remembering how easy they had it at Camp Nou. They have been to face Barcelona 18 times without getting a point since they drew 1-1 in 1994-95.