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First Division - Day 25

Real Sociedad 3 - Barcelona 1

Real: Claudio Bravo; Zaldúa, Mikel González, Iñigo Martínez, José Angel; Elustondo (Rubén Pardo 92’), Bergara, Zurutuza; Canales (Ansotegi 83‘), Carlos Vela, Griezmann (Xabi Prieto 73’). 4-3-3.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Montoya (Alexis 72‘), Marc Bartra, Piqué, Adriano; Busquets, Alex Song (Fàbregas 60’), Iniesta; Pedro, Messi, Neymar. 4-3-3.

Goals:
1-0. 32. Song (own goal). Deflected Canales cross past keeper trying to clear.
1-1. 35. Messi. Fired shot past Bravo after Busquets stepped over Montoya pass.
2-1. 54. Griezmann. Slid shot past Valdés after Vela crossed in from left of area.
3-1. 59. Zurutuza. Got in front of keeper to turn Griezmann cross in to net.

Yellow cards: Busquets 21’, José Angel 22’, Marc Bartra 38’, Piqué 51’.

Barcelona are off the top of the table once again after they lost 3-1 at Real Sociedad on Saturday evening, Real Madrid’s win earlier in the day taking Ancelotti’s side three points above them in the table. After the midweek Champions League match at Manchester City, Tata Martino made several changes to his line-up, although Messi and Neymar did start together up front for the first time in several weeks. With just over half an hour gone the Basque side took the lead, Alex Song deflecting the ball in to his own net after Elustondo got a head to a Canales cross, but three minutes later Messi equalized with a low shot after Busquets stepped over Montoya’s pass. That was his 229 th in the league, taking him past Raúl as the third highest all-time goalscorer, but after that he hardly appeared, and Vela came close to restoring the lead when he fired a shot over the top shortly before the break. Ten minutes in to the second half Real did go back in front, Griezmann getting on the end of Vela’s cross to slide a shot wide of Valdés, and although Bravo had to be at his best to tip Song’s header over the bar, Zurutuza made it three after running past a passive defence to turn Griezmann’s cross past the keeper. And it could have been worse had Vela not fired a shot against the post when free on goal later on. It was the first time that Barça had lost by two goals or more in the league since September 2010, and with Martino shown a red card for insulting Real’s assistant coach, and Piqué limping off at the end with an injury, the euphoria of that win in Manchester is already a distant memory. Real though confirm their good recent form, and they move up to fifth pending the rest of the weekend’s games.