Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his eighth league function as FC Barcelona beat Actual Sociedad 1-0 of their Los angeles Liga tournament on the Reale Area on Thursday after two back-to-back defeats on the Camp Nou. The Catalans are again in moment position, degree on issues with third-placed Sevilla (63) and 3 issues forward of Atletico de Madrid in fourth.
Xavi’s males are nonetheless 15 issues off league leaders Actual Madrid and the Los angeles Liga identify is out in their arms. Actual Sociedad are sitting in sixth position with 55 issues. The win over Sociedad used to be Barcelona’s fifth directly win at the highway and primary blank sheet in 4 video games in all competitions.
The Catalans were ready to stay simply 10 blank sheets in 30 Los angeles Liga fits up to now this season. Barcelona goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen used to be pressured to make some nice saves to stay Actual Sociedad from scoring, in particular in the second one 1/2.
Sergio Busquets surpassed Andres Iniesta to be in 0.33 position for Barcelona’s all-time look listing, making his 675th look for Barcelona within the recreation in opposition to Actual Sociedad. Barcelona supervisor Xavi Hernandez and PSG ahead Lionel Messi are the one gamers forward of Busquets, who turned into the membership captain after the Argentinian departed to France in August 2021.
Prior to kick-off, Sociedad fanatics paid tribute to Actual Sociedad legend and previous midfielder David Zurutuza, who retired in 2020, with a rite in the back of closed doorways because of COVID-19. The Los angeles Actual academy graduate who’s now 35 years outdated made 409 appearances for the membership in his whole profession.
The sport began as anticipated with Barcelona having the entire ownership, urgent Actual Sociedad top who had been pressured to protect. There have been a few half-chances for the guests till the tenth minute when Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele struck the submit however the risk used to be now not avoided at the rebound. Gavi received the ball, and located Ferran Torres who unselfishly assisted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who headed it into the online, making it 1-0 for the Catalans.
Frenkie de Jong used to be enjoying like a box-to-box midfielder, and located little wallet of area and took a couple of photographs, coming very with regards to scoring from time to time throughout the primary 1/2.
Actual Sociedad didn’t be offering a lot going ahead within the first duration however got here very with regards to scoring within the forty third minute. Alexander Sorloth discovered the distance between Barcelona’s defence to go it to Sociedad striker Alexander Isak who put it huge. The Swedish world has been suffering to seek out his capturing boots with simply 5 objectives up to now this season, in comparison to final season’s 17.
Actual Sociedad had been with out the products and services of ahead and birthday boy Mikel Oyarzabal who’s out for the long-term after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament. As well as, veteran midfielder David Silva used to be serving the primary of his two-match ban after he used to be despatched off of their earlier recreation in opposition to Actual Betis.
The hosts began the second one 1/2 really well, with Sorloth having an overly shut probability throughout the first two mins of the restart, however he may now not hook up with the pass, striking it huge. Actual Sociedad saved on knocking on the door, leaving Barcelona’s defence uncovered. They might have scored two objectives in fast succession if it wasn’t for a save through Barcelona goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen and a few very good protecting through Pique, who used to be whistled through the group all through the sport.
The referee used to be pressured to pause the sport for a minute when an object used to be thrown at Pique through fanatics from the stands. Actual Sociedad loved a large number of ownership throughout the second one, however lacked the tip product, failing to attain in but every other recreation. There used to be 10 mins of overtime because of a couple of damage stoppages. Barcelona had been pressured to make adjustments as Dani Alves and Ronald Araujo went off injured.
Imanol Alguacil’s males saved 19 blank sheets in 23 video games this season, however have additionally scored the least collection of objectives (32 in 32 video games). Los angeles Actual have misplaced 9 in their final ten video games in opposition to Barcelona, and haven’t received this fixture since April 2016. Sociedad have now not completed upper than 5th within the league since 2013, after they completed fourth.
Barcelona have taken 46 issues from 20 league video games ever since Xavi took over in November, and feature the second-best away report within the league, taking 28 issues from 16 video games this season. The highest 4 race in Los angeles Liga will move proper all the way down to the cord as there’s only a six-point hole between second positioned Barcelona and fifth positioned Actual Betis.
FC Barcelona will tackle Rayo Vallecano and RCD Mallorca in two back-to-back house video games in Los angeles Liga prior to travelling to Actual Betis in Would possibly.