Barcelona’s La Liga title pursuit took a significant blow as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Real Sociedad at the Estadio Anoeta, heading into the international break with their winning streak finally halted. The defeat came as a surprise for the Catalan side, who had been on a seven-game unbeaten run across all competitions, showing solid form in recent weeks. However, their performance in San Sebastian was far from their usual high standards, as they struggled to break down Sociedad’s defensive setup and failed to find their rhythm throughout the match.
Barcelona had an early opportunity to take the lead when Robert Lewandowski thought he had scored, but his goal was ruled out after a VAR review. This disallowed goal set the tone for a frustrating evening for the visitors, who had hoped to maintain their momentum as they pushed for the La Liga title. Despite controlling possession for long periods, Barcelona were unable to capitalize on their chances and lacked the clinical finishing that had been a feature of their play in recent weeks.
Real Sociedad, on the other hand, made the most of their home advantage. The match saw Sheraldo Becker score the only goal of the game, calmly slotting the ball into the net to give Sociedad the lead. Barcelona’s defense was caught off guard by the well-executed move, and they were left chasing the game for the remainder of the match. Despite the goal, Sociedad had further chances to increase their advantage, with Mikel Oyarzabal missing two clear-cut opportunities that could have sealed the victory earlier for the hosts. Barcelona, however, clung to a faint hope of a comeback, but their attack remained uninspired and lacked creativity to break down Sociedad’s defense.
The loss not only stops Barcelona’s four-game winning streak against Real Sociedad but also serves as a blow to their title hopes. The defeat leaves them six points ahead in the title race, but with Real Madrid holding a game in hand, the gap could be reduced further. Barcelona will now need to regroup and reassess their approach to the remainder of the season, hoping to regain their form once the international break concludes.
