Real Sociedad ended Barcelona's nine-game winning streak in La Liga, sportal.bg reported.
The Basques won 2:1 at home at the "Reale Arena" in the 20th round. Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, Marcus Rashford equalized in the 70th, but in the 71st Gonzalo Guedes brought the home team success. However, the Catalans have a lot to regret, as luck definitely turned its back on them in this match. Three of their goals were disallowed, VAR also disallowed a penalty in their favour, the visitors hit four posts and goalkeeper Alex Remiro made some great saves to deny Barca's players.
Pellegrino Matarazzo had chosen to start the match with Mikel Oyarzabal and Gonzalo Guedes as a pair in the forward positions. Carlos Soler and Benat Turientes were the two supporting midfielders, while Takefusa Kubo and Bryce Mendes operated on both wings.
The hosts started strongly and could have opened the scoring in the first minute. Mikel Oyarzabal headed the ball into the opponent's goal, but his goal was disallowed for offside.
Only a minute later, however, Barca also created a serious goal threat. Lamine Yamal received a long pass from the right, advanced and passed to Pedri in the penalty area, but the midfielder's shot was saved by the goalkeeper.
In the 4th minute, Dani Olmo also had a chance to shoot from the penalty spot, but it was too weak and in the hands of Alex Remiro.
In the 7th minute, Barça also scored a goal through Fermin Lopez, but after the VAR intervention, it was also canceled due to a foul by Dani Olmo against Takefusa Kubo.
Magia de Lamine Yamal 🪄 #LaLigaHighlightspic.twitter.com/j6gPYew2GR
In the 13th minute, Dani Olmo had another chance, but this time his shot went over the goal.
In the 20th minute, the third goal in the match was canceled. Frenkie de Jong was brought in behind the defence and scored, but was offside, so this goal was disallowed too.
Offside ffs but still nice play by Pedri and De Jong pic.twitter.com/AnvZkyccAm
Barça continued to be the more dangerous team and in the 22nd minute Dani Olmo was again in a shooting position, but his shot was disappointing.
Then in the 24th minute Lamine Jamal feinted a defender in the penalty area and shot diagonally, but he almost missed the target.
Immediately after that, Real Sociedad showed their teeth with a nice counterattack, Gonzalo Guedes was brought in behind the defence, but he was frustrated and in the end his shot failed to trouble Joan Garcia.
In the 27th minute, Barça scored a third goal, but it was also not conceded. Lamine Yamal shot the ball into the net from close range, but in this situation it turned out that he was offside when Jules Kunde passed to him.
And instead of the guests taking the lead in the score, the hosts did so. In the 32nd minute, Gonzalo Guedes crossed in front of the opponent's goal, where Mikel Oyarzabal had taken a good position and with a great volley shot left no chances for Joan Garcia - 1:0.
The goal gave wings to the hosts, who played even more courageously and in the 36th minute, Turientes tried a rather dangerous long-range shot, but Joan Garcia was careful and saved.
Immediately after that, the events moved in front of the other goal, where Dani Olmo took another long-range shot, this time it was really dangerous and made it quite difficult for goalkeeper Alex Remiro.
In the added time of the first half, Lamine Yamal had a chance to equalize the score, after breaking free in the penalty area and shooting towards the far corner, but was denied by Alex Remiro.
In the 5th minute of added time, Lamine Yamal earned a penalty, after when he was kicked in the back by Subeldia. Here too, however, VAR had a key intervention and cancelled the penalty, as it turned out that there was an offside in the pass to the Barça winger.
The second half started in a whirlwind manner. In the first minute, Mikel Oyarzabal slipped behind the defense and shot wide, but was ruled offside.
Immediately after that, Barcelona came close to scoring, as Dani Olmo intercepted a sharp cross, but hit the left post.
In the 49th minute, Dani Olmo had another chance, shooting from the move, but this time Alex Remiro intervened, and the post also helped him prevent an equalizer.
The guests continued to press, and in the 52nd minute, Ferran Torres took control of the penalty area and fired a shot, but again the home goalkeeper was impenetrable, making another important save.
In the 66th minute, Alex Remiro denied Robert Lewandowski, saving his header from close range.
Barca's pressure paid off in 70th minute. Lamine Yamal crossed for Marcus Rashford, who headed the ball in for 1-1.
However, the Catalans' joy was short-lived - in the 71st minute, Real regained the lead. Carlos Soler headed a close-range shot that made it difficult for Joan Garcia, who made no convincing save. This allowed Soler to reach the ball and pass it back to Gonzalo Guedes, who promptly slotted it into the empty net for 2-1.
The hosts came close to scoring a third goal in the 74th minute, but Mikel Oyarzabal's header flew wide.
In the 76th minute, the Basques missed an even bigger chance. Joan Garcia had left his goal again and Subeldia tried to score, but Pau Kubarsi came back with foresight and cleared it in front of the goal line.
In the final minutes, Barca launched a desperate attack and in the 83rd minute luck turned its back on the visitors again, after a close-range header by Jules Cunde deflected off the crossbar, after which the ball bounced in front of the goal line.
In the 88th minute, Real were reduced in number after Carlos Soler committed a dangerous foul on Pedri and after the intervention of VAR received a direct red card.
In the 93rd minute, the visitors were once again disappointed, after the ball hit the opponent's goal post for the fourth time, this time directly after a cross from Marcus Rashford from a corner.
In the 95th minute, Roni Barji tried a long-range shot, but the omnipresent Remiro again saved.
So Real Sociedad held on to the victory and with an asset of 24 points came out in 8th place in the standings. Barcelona remains in the lead, but only with a point ahead of its pursuer Real Madrid. The Catalans have 49 points, while the "white ballet" has 48.