Barcelona's unbeaten run came to a screeching halt as they fell 1-0 to Real Sociedad on Sunday. 😱 Sheraldo Becker was the hero for the Basque side, netting the decisive goal in the first half and sending shockwaves through La Liga!
Entering the match, Barca were flying high, boasting the most lethal attack in Europe's top leagues with 40 goals and dominating the UEFA Champions League. But Hansi Flick's squad couldn't find their rhythm, finishing the game without a single shot on target. Say what?! 🤯
Missing from the lineup was rising star Lamine Yamal, still recovering from an ankle injury picked up midweek against Red Star Belgrade. His absence was felt as Barcelona struggled to break down a resilient Real Sociedad defense.
Barca thought they had taken the lead in the 13th minute when Robert Lewandowski pounced on a rebound, but VAR dashed their celebrations, ruling the goal offside by the slimmest of margins. Talk about a buzzkill! 😩
Real Sociedad seized control, and after a brilliant save from Barca's goalkeeper Inaki Pena, Becker beat the offside trap and coolly slotted home in the 33rd minute. The home crowd went wild! 🎉
The hosts could have added more to their tally, but squandered several golden opportunities. Barca's defense looked shaky, and they were fortunate to head into halftime just one goal down.
The second half saw more of the same, with Real Sociedad pressing hard and Becker causing all sorts of problems. Barca's keeper Pena kept them in the game with critical saves to deny Oyarzabal, Take Kubo, and Brais Mendez.
Barca's best chance came in the 57th minute when Fermin Lopez's deflected shot nearly caught out Real Sociedad's keeper Alex Remiro, but he managed to palm it away. So close, yet so far! 😬
After the match, Barca's midfielder Pedri admitted, \"Real Sociedad are a team that presses very well. It was very difficult for us to put the ball in play. We weren't accurate today and I think it'll be a one-day thing. The team is doing well and it's nothing to worry about.\"
Despite the loss, Barcelona still top the standings with 33 points, but their lead over Real Madrid, who have a game in hand, has narrowed. The title race just got a whole lot more interesting! 🏆🔥
Other La Liga results from Sunday:
- Real Betis 2-2 Celta de Vigo
- Atletico Madrid 1-0 RCD Mallorca
- Girona 1-0 Getafe
- Real Valladolid 1-1 Athletic Bilbao
Reference(s):
Sheraldo Becker's goal hands Real Sociedad shock win over Barcelona
cgtn.com
