Barcelona will once again play home away from home, as their La Liga clash against Real Sociedad takes place at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys tonight. Softfootball understands that the club’s planned return to the Spotify Camp Nou has hit another delay, with ongoing safety and administrative concerns preventing reopening. As a result, Barça will also host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on October 1 at the Montjuïc venue.
For the past two seasons, Barcelona have called the Olympic Stadium home while Camp Nou renovations continue. Though the club had initially aimed to return earlier, unresolved permit issues have stretched their stay. Coach Hansi Flick and his side, however, have found comfort here winning nine of their last eleven league matches at the venue (D1, L1).
Thursday’s 3-1 comeback win over Real Oviedo, sparked by a shaky first half and a rebound performance after the break, made Flick the third-fastest Barcelona manager to reach 50 competitive victories. Each of Barça’s last six league wins have come with at least three goals, showing how dangerous their attack remains despite the venue shuffle.
Barcelona’s starting XI via the team’s official X handle:
Their opponents, Real Sociedad, finally picked up their first league win of the season on Wednesday a narrow 1-0 success over Mallorca and in the game’s preview, Softfootball expects Barcelona to win but predicts a tight encounter. Still, they sit just above the relegation zone and have lost five of their last six away games (D1), failing to score in four. That record makes this trip to Catalonia a daunting one.
History is firmly on Barcelona’s side they’ve won 26 of the last 27 home league meetings against Sociedad (L1), including a 4-0 thrashing in March. In fact, 21 of those victories came in the 21st century, more than against any other opponent.
Real Sociedad starting XI via the team’s official X handle:
Some late-game trends also favour Barça. They’ve scored a league-high four goals after the 80th minute, while Sociedad haven’t found the net beyond the 70th minute this season and are without a clean sheet in 17 away matches.
It may not be Camp Nou, but for now, Montjuïc remains a happy hunting ground for Barcelona, one they’ll hope to keep dominating until home truly feels like home again.
