Barcelona secured a comfortable 4-0 victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday, reclaiming the top spot in La Liga thanks to an early red card and clinical finishing.
Barcelona secured a commanding 4-0 victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday, reclaiming the top spot in La Liga . Aritz Elustondo's early red card in the 17th minute proved decisive, handing Hansi Flick 's side a significant advantage. Gerard Martin, Marc Casado, Ronald Araujo, and Robert Lewandowski found the back of the net, ensuring a comfortable afternoon for the Catalans.
\Atletico Madrid had briefly taken the lead by defeating Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, pushing Barcelona down to second place. Meanwhile, Real Madrid, currently in third position, suffered a setback with a loss against Real Betis. Despite rotating his squad ahead of the Champions League last 16 clash against Benfica on Wednesday, Flick managed to guide his team to a one-point lead over Atletico. \Flick expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, highlighting the impact of the red card and their overall dominance after the dismissal. He reiterated Barcelona's ambition to compete for all three major trophies they are currently involved in - La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League. The German coach emphasized their determination to fight for every title, acknowledging their unexpected position as contenders. \Real Sociedad, occupying ninth place, initially posed a threat in the opening stages but were thwarted by Barcelona's offside trap. Sergio Gomez's strike was ruled out for offside. At the other end, Barcelona playmaker Pedri Gonzalez came close to scoring when he pressured La Real goalkeeper Alex Remiro, deflecting his attempted clearance onto the roof of the net. The game shifted decisively in Barcelona's favor after Elustondo received a red card for pulling down Dani Olmo, who was through on goal. \Barcelona capitalized on their numerical advantage, taking the lead in the 25th minute when Olmo chipped the ball across for Martin to score his first career goal. Just four minutes later, Barca doubled their lead, with Olmo involved again, this time his wayward shot deflected home by Casado. The enterprising Lamine Yamal set up Pedri, but Remiro saved his shot from the edge of the box as Barcelona continued to dominate. \After the break, Pedri came close again with an effort from range that bounced off the crossbar, shortly before Araujo scored the third goal. Remiro pushed out Lewandowski's header from a corner, but Araujo nodded home the rebound. Lewandowski cleverly converted Barcelona's fourth, prodding home Araujo's low drive from distance. The 36-year-old leads the league with 21 goals in 25 appearances. \Araujo, who has been working his way back to full fitness after a knee injury, expressed his happiness with the team's performance and the victory. He emphasized the importance of having a competitive squad to achieve success, highlighting the contributions of both the starting eleven and the bench. Real Sociedad defender Javi Lopez acknowledged the impact of the red card, stating that it changed the entire game in Barcelona's favor. He also credited Barcelona's luck on their goals, making it difficult to compete against one of the world's best teams
Barcelona Real Sociedad La Liga Hansi Flick Robert Lewandowski Champions League
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