Real Sociedad beat Barca as La Liga title race tightens

Madrid, Jan 19
Real Sociedad beat FC Barcelona 2-1 at home to cut Barcelona's lead at the top of La Liga to one point after Real Madrid won a day earlier.

Mikel Oyarzabal and Goncalo Guedes scored for Real Sociedad, while Marcus Rashford netted Barcelona's equalizer. Barcelona had three first-half goals ruled out by VAR, including one for a marginal offside against Lamine Yamal, and hit the woodwork several times.

Oyarzabal put Real Sociedad ahead in the 32nd minute with a volley at the far post, with Barcelona protesting a foul on Dani Olmo in the build-up, reports Xinhua.

Barcelona controlled long spells after the break, with Olmo hitting the post twice in quick succession and goalkeeper Alex Remiro saving from Robert Lewandowski. Rashford equalized in the 70th minute, but Guedes restored the lead a minute later with a volley after Joan Garcia failed to hold Carlos Soler's header.

Barcelona pressed again but hit the woodwork through Jules Kounde and Rashford, who also struck the post directly from a corner. Soler was sent off late for a challenge on Pedri, but Real Sociedad held on.

Real Madrid won 2-0 at home to Levante on Saturday with goals from Kylian Mbappe and Raul Asencio. The match at the Santiago Bernabeu was also marked by boos from sections of the crowd, including criticism aimed at Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr.

Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid drew level on points with Villarreal in third place after a 1-0 home win over Deportivo Alaves, sealed by an Alexander Sorloth header early in the second half.

Celta Vigo beat Rayo Vallecano 3-0 to strengthen its hold on seventh, while Valencia climbed out of the bottom three with a 1-0 win at Getafe. Betis beat Villarreal 2-0 at home.

Mallorca beat Athletic Bilbao 3-2, with Vedat Muriqi scoring a hat-trick, while Osasuna edged Oviedo 3-2 on a late Victor Munoz goal.

The round began on Friday, when Girona won 2-0 away to Espanyol.