Leaders Barca stumble as Sociedad force draw, Real eye chance to go top

Barcelona gave Real Madrid the chance to go top of La Liga ahead of Wednesday’s Clasico at Camp Nou as they were held to a 2-2 draw by high-flying Real Sociedad on Saturday.

A mistake by Barca’s usually excellent goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen gifted la Real an equaliser in a thrilling contest at Anoeta between two of the division’s most attacking teams.

Barca still lead the standings with 35 points from 16 games but Real, on 34, can take their place at the top if they win at Valencia on Sunday. Real Sociedad are fourth on 28.

Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez looked to have turned the game around after Mikel Oyarzabal scored an early penalty but Real Sociedad claimed a deserved point as Ter Stegen parried into the path of Alexander Isak.

Madrid will pull two points clear at the top of the table if they win away at in-form Valencia, which could prove a significant psychological boost ahead of their crunch meeting with Barcelona in midweek.

Real Sociedad, meanwhile, move to within three points of Sevilla in third and showed why many have them circled as genuine challengers for Champions League qualification this season.

Barca may have had one eye on their next encounter, particularly given renewed fears of unrest around the Clasico, which had to be postponed in October due to Catalan independence protests.

Yet Real Sociedad were excellent value for their point, with Martin Odegaard, the Norwegian playmaker on loan from Real Madrid, delivering a majestic display to help his parent club’s title bid. Barcelona were on the ropes for much of the first half an hour as Real Sociedad moved the ball quickly through the lines, with Odegaard the orchestrator.

Odegaard gave Sergio Busquets a torrid time and too often Barca were opened up through the middle. On one occasion, Nacho Monreal might have shot but chose to cross, forcing Gerard Pique into a last-ditch clearance.

The home goal though came from a corner as Busquets was spotted tugging Diego Llorente’s shirt. The offence seemed minor but referee Javier Alberola had a clear view. Oyarzabal made no mistake from the spot.

Barcelona were yet to create a genuine chance but in the 38th minute they were level as Suarez freed Griezmann, who drew the goalkeeper before scooping his finish brilliantly into the net.

The visitors improved after half-time and were ahead within four minutes of the restart. Busquets clipped a ball over the top of Llorente, who stepped up at the wrong time, allowing Lionel Messi to skip free. He generously sidefooted left to Suarez, who had an open goal.

Pique almost made it 3-1 but his header was cleared off the line by Mikel Merino. Instead Real Sociedad levelled. Monreal’s cross caused panic and Ter Stegen parried the ball straight to Isak, who had a simple finish five yards out.

Both teams pushed tentatively for a winner, perhaps wary of each other’s threat on the break.

Pique was adamant he deserved a penalty in injury-time as he and Llorente were both guilty of pulling each other’s shirt at the back post.

Agence France-Presse



Spanish La Liga results on Saturday:

Granada 1 (Machis 60) Levante 2 (Rochina 55, Bardhi 89)

Real Sociedad 2 (Oiarzabal 12-pen, Isak 62) Barcelona 2 (Griezmann 38, Suarez 49)