Sports Correspondent

Barcelona’s seven-game winning streak came to an abrupt end on Sunday, courtesy of Real Sociedad’s 1-0 triumph in LaLiga. Sheraldo Becker’s decisive goal in the 33rd minute sealed the deal, handing Hansi Flick his second league loss as Barcelona’s manager ¹.

Becker cleverly evaded Barcelona’s offside trap, latching onto Luka Sucic’s header before delivering a precise finish inside the post. This setback allowed Real Madrid to narrow the gap at the top of the standings.

The absence of star winger Lamine Yamal, sidelined with a muscle injury, severely impacted Barcelona’s chances. Robert Lewandowski’s early strike was disqualified for offside following a VAR review, and the team struggled to regain momentum ¹.

Real Sociedad, on the other hand, could have won by a more substantial margin. Mikel Oyarzabal squandered a golden opportunity just before halftime, thanks to Takefusa Kubo’s impressive playmaking. Oyarzabal also tested Inaki Pena in the second half, but ultimately, one goal sufficed ¹.

This victory propelled Real Sociedad to eighth place in LaLiga with 19 points, six points shy of the top four. Meanwhile, Barcelona retains its lead with 33 points, six points ahead of Real Madrid, who have a game in hand. Atletico Madrid sits third with 26 points ¹.

The two teams have a rich history, with Barcelona leading their head-to-head record 27-7, and 5 draws ². Their past encounters have been thrilling, with Real Sociedad winning two of their last five meetings.