Real Sociedad vs Barcelona, Copa del Rey: Where to watch, preview, betting odds and possible XI

Barcelona looking to draw first blood in Copa del Rey quarter-final first-leg showdown at Anoeta.

Lionel Messi & Luis Suarez — Barcelona closed the gap on Real Madrid in La Liga with a 5-0 win over Las Palmas Reuters

Barcelona will look to secure a lead to take back to Camp Nou in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final against Real Sociedad at Anoeta on 19 January.

Where to watch

Kick-off is set for 8.15pm GMT. The game is not scheduled for live broadcast in the UK.

Overview

Goals from Inigo Martinez and Juanmi helped Real Sociedad to a 2-0 win at Malaga on 16 January, keeping the Basque club two points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid on the La Liga table. Eusebio Sacristan's side have only won two of their last five games at Anoeta.

Striker Carlos Vela is yet to recover from a knee problem and will miss the game.

Barcelona swept to a 5-0 win over Las Palmas at the weekend to close the gap on La Liga leaders Real Madrid to two points. The Catalan giants have only won two of their last seven meetings with Real Sociedad in all competitions.

Rafinha will sit out the trip to the Basque Country due to a muscular problem.

What managers say

Eusebio Sacristan: "Both sides were evenly matched from start to finish, so I consider this an excellent three points. We played a good game. We kept a lot of possession in good areas, forced attacks and kept our defensive shape. Malaga put everything into this game, which makes the points even more valuable." [via Football Espana]

Luis Enrique: "It was a very complete performance [against Las Palmas] and wonderful from a defensive perspective. It's a match that strengthens all of us and we're coming on very well. All the players are important to the team. Everyone wants to play more, but what matters is the good of both the team and club." [via Football Espana]