La Liga
Barcelona Returns To Second In La Liga With Victory Over Real Sociedad
Barcelona showed their determination with a 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad, moving them back into second place in La Liga at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
Xavi’s men displayed a dominant performance, securing their fifth consecutive home league victory for the first time since October.
The match started with Real Socieshowedwing promise, as Sheraldo Becker posed a threat with his early efforts, narrowly missing the target on a couple of occasions. However, his 22nd-minute goal was disallowed due to an offside call, denying Sociedad an early lead.
Barcelona gradually found their rhythm, with Raphinha’s thunderous shot hitting the upright. The breakthrough came towards the end of the first half when Robert Lewandowski’s precise pass found Ilkay Gundogan, who set up Lamine Yamal for a clinical finish, putting Barcelona ahead.
Raphinha continued to trouble the Sociedad defense in the second half with two long-range attempts, one of which forced a remarkable save from Alex Remiro. Despite Sociedad’s efforts, including Brais Mendez’s near-miss, Barcelona remained resilient.
As the game approached its dying minute, Remiro’s heroics kept Sociedad in contention, denying Ferran Torres with a crucial save. However, Barcelona sealed the victory in stoppage time as Raphinha converted a penalty after a handball infringement, securing the three points for the Blaugrana.
Barcelona’s solid defensive display, shown by their fifth clean sheet in seven home league games, emphasizes their growing confidence under Xavi. Real Sociedad, on the other hand, finds themselves in seventh place, one point behind Real Betis.
