The Catalans, who remain leaders with six points ahead of Real Madrid (with one more match), suffered the domination of their opponents throughout the match and were unable to overcome the handicap of a goal scored in the 33rd minute by Sheraldo Becker.
Deprived of Lamine Yamal, injured and who followed the meeting from the stands, Barça did not find the chink in the armor of the Basques who created numerous chances and moved up to 8th place.
However, it was Robert Lewandowski who opened the scoring in the 13th minute but his goal was disallowed for offside with a tiny bit of foot.
“It was definitely the wrong decision but we have to accept it,” lamented Hansi Flick, Barça coach, after the match. “The referee, it wasn’t his fault, to err is human but today it was a big mistake.”
If its players maintained strong pressure in the first half hour, Real Sociedad bravely launched counterattacks leading to dangerous situations, like this free kick on the edge of the area in the 28th minute diverted above its cage for a corner by Inaki Pena.
The reward arrived with a goal from Sheraldo Becker (33rd) who placed a lightning acceleration on a pass from Luka Sucic and deceived the Catalan goalkeeper after having put his defense in the wind.
Yamal in the stands
The match accelerated, with a Barcelona team losing its luster while their opponents gained confidence even if their play remained messy at times, including a superb missed opportunity by Mikel Oyarzabal just before the break.
All this under the watchful eye of Yamal, absent from the field due to ankle pain, which he had been carrying since Wednesday’s match against Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League.
At the restart, Barcelona captain Frenkie de Jong, injured in the calf in the first half, gave way to Dani Olmo. The Sociedad players did not let up the pressure with two good successive chances from Oyarzabal and Becker whose ball passed right next to the opponent’s goal while Peña was caught on the wrong foot.
The fire was on Barça’s defense as their attack multiplied the inaccuracies while coming up against a wall in front of Alex Remiro’s goal.
Lewandowski was unable to loosen the grip that gripped him with each catch of the ball and Peña was forced to go out far from his area, notably in the 75th minute to counter the Icelandic Oskarsson, completely unmarked in the Catalan camp.
Earlier on Sunday, Atlético Madrid beat Mallorca 1-0 and find themselves 3rd, 7 points behind leader Barcelona. Betis Sevilla snatched a draw against Celta Vigo, with a header after added time (2-2). Betis (6th) keeps its distance from Celta (9th).
On Saturday, Real Madrid, which had two defeats at home, was reassured by beating Osasuna at home (4-0).
Par Le360 (with AFP)
11/11/2024 at 8:58 a.m.
