Real Sociedad Ends Barcelona’s Winning Streak with 2-1 Victory
Barcelona faced a tough challenge on Sunday as it suffered a 2-1 defeat to Real Sociedad in the Spanish league, putting an end to its 11-game winning streak. The match was filled with disallowed goals, hits on the woodwork, and outstanding saves.
Barcelona had three goals disallowed in the first half, along with a penalty-kick call that was overturned by video review. Additionally, they hit the woodwork five times, including a close-range header by Jules Koundé in the 84th minute, while Sociedad’s goalkeeper Álex Remiro made several remarkable saves.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick expressed his disappointment, stating, “Disappointed, we created a lot of opportunities. The result does not reflect our game. Sometimes it’s like that. At the end, there are some days you invest a lot of energy and at the end you are unlucky. I appreciate a lot what I saw.”
The defeat left Barcelona just one point ahead of second-place Real Madrid, who secured a 2-0 victory against Levante. Real Sociedad, on the other hand, claimed their second consecutive win and moved up to eighth place in the league standings.
Goalkeeper Álex Remiro, who made crucial saves throughout the match, described the victory as “Three amazing points.” He notably denied a close-range header from Robert Lewandowski in the second half.
Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring for Sociedad with a volley in the 32nd minute, while Barcelona equalized through Marcus Rashford in the 70th minute. However, a minute later, Gonçalo Guedes restored Sociedad’s lead with a shot from inside the area.
Barcelona had numerous chances to score, including a disallowed goal by Fermín López and offside rulings against Frenkie de Jong and Lamine Yamal. Yamal was also denied a penalty in first-half stoppage time due to an offside call.
Despite the missed opportunities, Barcelona midfielder De Jong believed they deserved to win, stating, “We played well, had many scoring opportunities. We deserved to win. We need to be able to capitalize on these chances.”
Sociedad’s Carlos Soler received a red card in the 88th minute for a hard foul, adding to the drama of the match.
Barcelona’s defeat marked the end of their impressive winning streak, which included a victory over Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final. The team had not suffered a loss since their defeat against Chelsea in the Champions League.
Forward Raphinha was absent from the squad, while João Cancelo made his debut for Barcelona. Unfortunately, Kubo had to be stretchered off due to an injury.
Alexander Sorloth Secures 1-0 Win for Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid claimed a 1-0 victory over Alaves, with Alexander Sorloth scoring the only goal of the match in the 48th minute. Sorloth’s header from a Pablo Barrios cross found the back of the net, securing Atletico’s win.
Alaves, who have been struggling in the league, came close to equalizing late in the game but were unable to find the net. The win lifted Atletico’s spirits as they continue their campaign.
Valencia, Celta Vigo Secure Victories
Valencia moved out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win over Getafe, thanks to a late goal by José Gayà. The victory ended Valencia’s winless streak in the league, while Getafe continues to struggle with five consecutive losses.
Celta Vigo dominated with a 3-0 win over Rayo Vallecano, who played with 10 men after a red card. Celta’s third consecutive victory propelled them to seventh place in the standings.
Overall, it was an eventful matchday in the Spanish league, with surprises and impressive performances from the teams involved.
