Barcelona welcome Real Sociedad tonight with a place in the last four of the Copa del Rey at stake as Xavi would be eager to guide the Catalans a step closer towards their second title of the season, having defeated Real Madrid in the Supercopa de España final earlier this month.
The Catalans entered the quarter-final on the back of a 5-0 drubbing of AD Ceuta in the Round of 16, with Raphinha, Ansu Fati and Robert Lewandowski (brace) getting their names on the scoresheet. Franck Kessié, who has so far played every minute of Barcelona's Copa del Rey campaign in an otherwise frustrating season, also found the back of the net.
Real Sociedad, who are in good form at the moment, standing at third place in the La Liga table, were made to toil hard in their two Copa del Rey encounters so far - wins over third-tier side Logroñés in the Round of 32 and Mallorca in the Round of 16, both finishing 1-0.
It will be an extremely close content between the two in-form Spanish sides at the moment, although the Blaugrana will take heart from their 4-1 thrashing of the Basque side in August.
Barcelona vs Real Sociedad confirmed lineups
Barcelona XI (4-3-3): ter Stegen; Kound, Araújo, Christensen, Balde; De Jong, Busquets, Pedri; Dembélé, Lewandowski, Gavi
Real Sociedad XI (4-3-3): Remiro; Elustondo, Zubeldia, Le Normand, D. Rico; B. Méndez, Zubimendi, Marín; Kubo, Sørloth, Oyarzabal
Barcelona vs Real Sociedad LIVE updates
Barcelona's upcoming fixtures
The La Liga leaders will travel to Girona on 28th January, followed by a tough away trip to Benito Villamarín to take on sixth-placed Real Betis on 1st February.
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