Real Sociedad boosted their push for European qualification and dealt Barcelona a significant blow in the title race with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at the Reale Arena, moving the hosts up to eighth in LaLiga. The result leaves Barcelona clinging to a one-point lead at the summit after Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Levante yesterday piled the pressure back on the defending champions, Softfootball reports.
The tone was set from the opening moments in a frantic first half that saw drama arrive almost instantly. Sociedad thought they had stunned Barça inside the opening minute, only for the offside flag to intervene, before Pedri forced an early save at the other end. Barcelona believed they had struck first through Fermín López soon after, but VAR again took centre stage, ruling out the effort for a foul in the build-up.
It became a frustrating pattern for the visitors, as further goals from Frenkie de Jong and Lamine Yamal were chalked off, while Dani Olmo squandered a golden opportunity from close range. Sociedad, under pressure for long spells, struck with ruthless efficiency when Mikel Oyarzabal volleyed home to give the hosts the lead against the run of play. Barcelona’s hopes of an immediate response were dashed when a stoppage-time penalty was overturned following another VAR intervention.
The visitors came out strongly after the break, Olmo rattling the post and Álex Remiro continuing an inspired display in the Sociedad goal. Hansi Flick rolled the dice with multiple changes, and the pressure finally told when Marcus Rashford nodded in an equaliser midway through the second half.
Any sense of momentum was short-lived. Within moments, Gonçalo Guedes capitalised on defensive hesitation to restore Sociedad’s advantage, leaving Barcelona chasing once more. Despite late drama, including a red card for Carlos Soler and a Rashford effort that struck the post deep into stoppage time, Barça were unable to force a way back.
Interestingly, Real Sociedad shared via its official X handle, the celebrations after Guedes quick response to Barcelona’s equalizer and the fans pure reactions to the goal. They posted:
The defeat brings an abrupt end to what had been a highly positive week for Barcelona, who had lifted the Supercopa with victory over Real Madrid before progressing past Racing Santander in the Copa del Rey round of 16. However, this setback ensures the title race is firmly alive, with Real Madrid now just a single point behind.
For Sociedad, this was a statement performance. Having now avoided defeat in their last two home meetings with Barcelona, they can take confidence from a resilient display that not only strengthens their league position but also reshapes the complexion of the LaLiga title battle.
