Official: Barcelona starting XI vs Real Sociedad — Lenglet benched for Mingueza

Barcelona have announced the starting XI that will take on Real Sociedad at the Camp Nou for gameweek 19 of the La Liga season. Sociedad, who are top of the league, will have to go up against a Barcelona team without Clement Lenglet who has been replaced by Oscar Mingueza in the heart of the defence. He partners Ronald Araujo in that role, while Jordi Alba and Sergino Dest provide the width from the back. Marc-Andre ter Stegen continues in goal.

Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets retain their positions in the starting XI, but Philippe Coutinho has been replaced by Pedri in what is expected to be a 4-2-3-1.

On the opposite side, Lionel Messi starts on the right-wing, while Antoine Griezmann assumes his role in the centre of the pitch as the secondary striker. Martin Braithwaite is deployed the central striker.

Barcelona XI: ter Stegen; Dest, Araujo, Mingueza, Alba; Busquets, de Jong; Messi, Griezmann, Pedri; Braithwaite

Clement Lenglet’s poor run of form sees him dropped from the starting XI, paving way for Oscar Mingueza, and deservedly so. On the contrary, seeing Sergio Busquets start will certainly be discouraging when there are players like Miralem Pjanic, Riqui Puig, and Carles Aleña awaiting their turns on the bench.