Five talking points from Barcelona 1-2 Real Sociedad
A defeat and a trophy
Barcelona is always in party mode
The team celebrated vigorously all week and it really showed as La Real struck early and never really looked back against the hungover hosts.
The visitors could have actually scored more but Marc-Andre ter Stegen impressed again while Barca netted late through Robert Lewandowski.
Losing Barcelona doesn’t mean much overall, but Xavi doesn’t want his side to go completely haywire in the final games.
Games against Real Valladolid, Mallorca and Celta Vigo are still to be negotiated and Xavi wants his players to be much better than they are here.
Araujo’s absence speaks volumes
Barcelona were without Ronald Araujo, Pedri and Gavi for the match, but it was the defender’s absence that stood out the most.
The Catalans conceded two goals to take their tally to 15 for the season in La Liga. With Araujo on the pitch, Barca have conceded just five goals in La Liga this season. These are some statistics. Without Araujo in the squad, Barça also suffered from open play at home for the first time all season. Previously, Araujo himself and Joselu from the penalty spot were the only players to beat Ter Stegen at home in La Liga.
Barça have a lot of quality in defense this season, with Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen, but it is clear that Araujo remains Barcelona’s best and most important defender.
Zubimendi shows why Xavi wants him
Martin Zubimendi shone for Real Sociedad at the Camp Nou, delivering the kind of performance he showed exactly why Xavi wants him at Barcelona. Described as “extraordinary” by Xavi in his pre-match press conference, the midfielder has certainly lived up to his reputation.
Throughout the Real Sociedad game, Zubimendi seemed to be involved at one point. He also set up La Real’s second goal by robbing Frenkie de Jong and sending the visitors on a counter-attack which was completed by Sorloth.
However, the chances of Zubimendi actually signing for Barça seem almost non-existent. The player keeps insisting that he is happy at Real Soceidad, having signed a new contract last year and it comes at a price Barça cannot afford.
Lewandowski one step ahead
Saturday night was another game and another goal for Robert Lewandowski, who comes close to the Pichichi prize.
The Polish international now has 22 for the season in Spain’s top flight and is five clear of Karim Benzema ahead of Real Madrid’s trip to Valencia later today.
However, it may not matter what the Frenchman does as Lewandowski again finishes the season in scoring.
Saturday’s attempt was his fifth in his last five games and more are sure to come with three games of the season left for Barcelona. Can Ter Stegen break another record?
Barcelona lost 2-1 to Real Sociedad on Saturday, only their fourth defeat all season in La Liga.
Lewandowski may be on his way to Pichichi, but Ter Stegen’s hopes of making history took a major blow against Real Sociedad after conceding two goals.
The league record is currently held by Deportivo La Coruna, who conceded just 18 goals and kept 26 clean sheets during the 1993-94 season.
Ter Stegen has 25 clean sheets so far and conceded 15 goals, which means he is still on course to break the record, but he will come close. The German needs another clean sheet to tie the record, but two to make it outright, and has also conceded fewer than three goals in his last three games.
Barça returned to action with a trip to relegation-threatened Real Valladolid before ending up against Real Mallorca and Celta Vigo.