Tata Martino has praised Real Sociedad as his Barcelona side prepare to face the San Sebastian outfit on Tuesday.
“I consider them to be one of the best teams. Last year they did very well and started strongly in Europe. They are a very good team with excellent individuals. They are destabilising.
“We will see if and how they make any rotations to their team. I have a very good relationship with [sporting director] Loren, who has been very interested in my work.
“I had the chance to go to San Sebastian [earlier this summer], as I did with Malaga, but there were circumstances that prevented me.”
The weekend win at Rayo saw Andres Iniesta begin from the bench for not the first time this season.
“Nobody can think that Andres is not a starter. Clearly he is. But with everything that he has done in the summer, the Confederations Cup, some players need time to catch their ideal state of form.”
Martino was asked of Neymar’s early work in the team. The summer signing has yet to score in La Liga after five appearances.
“You measure the degree of adaptation depending on whether he scores goals, but he is providing a great contribution to the team’s creation with the ball and recovery of possession. He has adapted very quickly and I am very happy with his response.
“It cannot be forgotten that he has had a difficult summer in the Confederations Cup and a turbulent arrival to Barcelona, for everything he represents as a player and he has had many trips that have not allowed him to train normally.
“We are very pleased with all that he is offering.”
La Real boss Jagoba Arrasate meanwhile, has insisted that his team won’t sit back against the Blaugrana.
“If you sit back, the game is very long and you lose,” stated Arrasate in his pre-game Press conference.
“We know who we face, but we cannot be defeated on the field. We want to play a good game and take strength from there.
“We have found it hard to score and the goal is the hardest thing in football, so the best players are the attackers.
“In some games we have had a lack of success and in others, a lack of clarity in ideas. At the Camp Nou we will have to present our best version.
“If we are together and we approach our true level, we will have our chances.
“Barca under Tata Martino? They have not changed much. There are different nuances from what we have seen in previous years, but the effectiveness and control of the game is the same.”
