LIGA – BARCELONA-REAL SOCIEDAD 1-2, BASQUE COMPANY: SORLOTH MVP
Barcelona celebrated success in La Liga in front of their fans, but the winner was the convincing and bubbly team of Imanol Alguacil. Real Sociedad stormed Camp Nou with goals from Merino and Sorloth. The performance of the Basques was excellent and Xavi’s Catalans paid a few too many distractions in defense, also the result of a general relaxation after winning the title. Real Sociedad has defeated the Camp Nou taboo and now retains 5 points ahead of fifth-placed Villarreal: the Champions League is approaching for the Basques.
THE SCOREBOARD
BARCELONA 1-2 REAL SOCIEDAD
BARCELONA (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Balde, Koundé (45′ Marcos Alonso), Christensen, Jordi Alba; Sergio Busquets (84′ Eric Garcia), Kessié (63′ Ansu Fati), de Jong; Raphinha (63′ Ferran Torres), Lewandowski, Dembélé (86′ Pablo Torre). Coach: Xavi.
REAL SOCIEDAD (4-3-1-2): Remiro; Aritz, Zubeldia (81′ Pacheco), Le Normand, Rico; Merino, Zubimendi, Illarramendi (58′ Gorosabel); Barrene (73′ Marin); Cho (58′ Kubo), Sorloth (81′ Carlos Fernandez). Coach: Alguacil.
UMPIRE: Javier Alberola Rojas
GOALS: 5′ Mikel Merino, 72′ Sorloth, 90′ Lewandowski.
ASSIST: Sorloth, Zubimendi, Ferran Torres.
CAUTIONS: 9′ Zubimendi for foul on Dembelé, 37′ Illaramendi for foul on Balde, 53′ Lewandowski for foul on Le Normand, 73′ Busquets for protests, 79′ Kubo and Marcos Alonso for mutual misconduct, 85′ de Jong for protests.
NOTES: recovery /, +5′.
THE CHRONICLE IN 8 KEY MOMENTS
5′ GOAL REAL SOCIEDAD! Koundé falls asleep and Sorloth recovers, serves in the heart of the Merino area that from two steps does not make a mistake.
15′ PARATONA DI REMIRO! Real Sociedad made a mistake in the construction from below, Lewandowski crossed for Dembelé, who kicked hard but found the parry of Remiro who saved in the corner.
16′ OPPORTUNITY BARCELONA! Still the Catalans, super control of Dembelé, who serves to tow Kessié, who kicks a little to the side.
30′ TER STEGEN AVOIDS 0-2! Sorloth’s cross for Cho, who strikes but finds ter Stegen’s response with his feet.
32′ OPPORTUNITY BARRENETXEA! Cho serves a splendid filter for Barrenetxea, who tries the touch below but without success.
66′ REAL SOCIEDAD CHANCE! Kubo earned an excellent free kick, cross well for Sorloth who devoured the goal from two steps after he had cut well.
72′ DOUBLE REAL SOCIEDAD! Great recovery of Zubimendi on de Jong, dialogue with Kubo and then the same Zubimendi serves Sorloth: deadly counterattack and 0-2 Basque.
90′ SCRATCH LEWA! Lewandowski reopens it, on a cross from the right by Ferran Torres the Polish bomber makes no mistake and frames the goal that reopens the game.
BEST
SORLOTH: author of the assist of Merino’s goal that unlocks the race, in general he runs like a madman and recovers at least three very important balls. In the second half he scored the goal that effectively closed the game.
THE WORST
KOUNDE: sleeps on the pitch and is snatched by Sorloth, causing in fact the 0-1 opponent, always in trouble. The half-time substitution smacks of rejection for the former Sevilla.