SAN SEBASTIAN: Real Sociedad earned a pulsating 2-1 home victory over La Liga leaders Barcelona on Sunday, ending the Catalans’ 11-match winning streak in all competitions.

The thrilling encounter in a rain-soaked San Sebastian saw Sociedad withstand relentless pressure as Barcelona struck the woodwork five times in the second half.

Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring with a volley in the 32nd minute, but Barca equalised with a Marcus Rashford header from close range in the 70th.

However, a minute later, Goncalo Guedes sealed the victory for the home side with another volley from inside the box.

Sociedad were reduced to 10 men in the final minutes after Carlos Soler was given a straight red card for a reckless sliding tackle on Pedri.

Despite the defeat, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona remain top of the standings on 49 points, one point ahead of second-placed Real Madrid. Villarreal and Atletico Madrid trail far behind with both on 41 points.

“I think we deserved to win, we had lots of chances,” Barca captain Frenkie de Jong told DAZN. “At the end of the day, you have to score with the opportunities you create. We played very well, but their keeper, [Alex] Remiro had a great game.”

Remiro showed great reflexes, when he kept a venomous strike from distance by Olmo in the 37th minute and denied Ferran Torres from close range early in the second half.

Remiro again displayed his heroics as he thwarted Robert Lewandowski’s header from point-blank, deflecting it just enough to keep it out before it hit the post.

“Three great points and a great game,” said Remiro. “We’ve started this year in great form... this is the energy we have, how we’ve changed [recently].”

La Real coach Pellegrino Matarazzo hailed his team’s “heart”, but admitted that his side had some fortune and was grateful for Remiro’s saves.

“A quality goalkeeper is not luck, so it’s a mix,” he said.La Real were also a bit fortunate as before Lewandowski, Spaniard Olmo also struck the post twice in the second half.

Barcelona came agonisingly close to level matters but Rashford’s curling corner in added time clipped the near post.

Barca midfielder de Jong complained about referee Jesus Gil Manzano, calling him arrogant. The Catalunyan coach Flick agreed with de Jong’s assessment.

“I don’t want to waste energy on him,” said Flick, referring to Manzano. “Frenkie is right.”

Earlier on Sunday, Celta Vigo routed 10-man Rayo Vallecano 3-0 at home. The visitors played with 10 men from the 66th after Nobel Mendy was sent off for a hard foul after VAR review.

It was the third win in a row for Celta, who are seventh. Rayo are 13th.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2026