Barcelona players are undoubtedly eager for the match against Real Sociedad in La Liga’s 13th round to conclude so they can finally take a breather before the international break. Behind them are three grueling weeks, during which they played every three days against opponents like Sevilla (5-1), Bayern Munich (4-1), Real Madrid (4-0), local rivals Espanyol (3-1), and Serbian minors Red Star (5-2). Though victories continue to pile up, fatigue is becoming increasingly noticeable, with the away match in Belgrade last Wednesday leaving the biggest mark on Hans-Dieter Flick’s squad.Champions League nights in Belgrade – a place where boys are shaped into unbreakable warriorsThe exhaustion was most apparent on the face of 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi. In the closing minutes against the Belgrade team, he bravely attempted to block a shot, only to have his head collide with Uroš Spajić’s boot, resulting in significant cuts that required nine stitches. Despite doctors and the coaching staff advising rest, promising him that his starting position would not be at risk if he missed the Sociedad game, Cubarsi insisted on playing. A compromise was reached; he’ll wear a protective mask during the game, though it remains to be seen if it will hinder him, as it did Kylian Mbappé during the European Championship.Liverpool are eyeing a massive La Liga reinforcementHowever, fans at San Sebastian may be deprived of seeing the skills of Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo. Olmo, recently returned from an injury, reportedly began experiencing stomach issues after returning from Serbia—vomiting, fever, and classic symptoms of a stomach virus prevented him from training in recent days. This makes his participation against Sociedad unlikely, as is the case for Yamal, who isn’t dealing with an injury or illness but rather fatigue.🎙️ HANSI FLICK: “We want to win every match.” pic.twitter.com/SQxnWhC3tl— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 9, 2024 Yamal exerted himself relentlessly along the right flank for the entire 90 minutes at Serbia’s largest stadium, just as he had previously against Real Madrid and Espanyol, and lasted until the 85th minute against Bayern. The 17-year-old expended significant energy, prompting Flick to advise him to focus on gym work and skip ball training after the Red Star match. He will likely start tonight’s game on the bench. Barcelona’s injury list also includes Eric Garcia, Ronald Araújo, Andreas Christensen, Marc-André ter Stegen, and Ferran Torres, all of whom remain sidelined.LA LIGA – MATCHDAY 13FridayRayo Vallecano – Las Palmas 1-3 (0-1)/McKenna 90+2 og – Silva 6, Hernandez 62 og, Fuster 66/SaturdayReal Madrid – Osasuna 4-0 (2-0)/Vinicius Jr 34, 61, 69, Bellingham 42/Villareal – Alaves 3-0 (1-0)/Akhomach 38, Parejo 80, Comesana 90/Leganes – Sevilla 1-0 (0-0)/Fuente 82p)Sunday 16:00: (2.00) Betis (3.60) Celta (4.10)18:15: (3.60) Mallorca (3.15) Atl.Madrid (2.20)20:30: (2.50) Getafe (3.20) Girona (3.20)20:30: (4.30) Valladolid (3.50) Ath.Bilbao (1.87)23:00: (5.00) Sociedad (4.20) Barcelona (1.70)***odds are subject to change***
