Barcelona falls to Real Sociedad after VAR controversy

Barcelona entered the international break with a disappointing 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad, thanks to a goal from Sheraldo Becker. The defeat was compounded by injury concerns for midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who was forced to leave the game at halftime after picking up a knock in the first half.

Controversial first half and disallowed goal

Barcelona arrived in San Sebastián with high spirits following their impressive Champions League victory over Red Star Belgrade. However, they were without young star Lamine Yamal, sidelined due to fatigue, while de Jong started as captain. Early in the match, Barcelona appeared to take the lead when Robert Lewandowski found the net, only for VAR to rule the goal offside. This decision sparked significant controversy in both Spain and the Netherlands, as many believed the offside call was due to the toe of Real Sociedad's Nayef Aguerd rather than Lewandowski. As the game resumed with a 0-0 score, Barcelona suffered another setback. de Jong went down after taking a knock to his knee. Although he managed to finish the half, he was substituted at the break by Dani Olmo. The first half ended on a sour note as Barcelona fell behind just before halftime, with Sheraldo Becker scoring his first goal of the season to put Sociedad ahead.

Second half struggles and missed opportunities

Trailing 1-0, Barcelona pressed forward in the second half but struggled to find their rhythm. Sociedad, however, looked more threatening and created several chances to extend their lead. Mikel Oyarzabal, Ander Barrenetxea, and Becker all came close to scoring, keeping Barcelona’s defense under pressure. Sociedad’s well-organized play kept Barcelona off-balance, and despite their efforts, Barcelona couldn’t find a way to equalize.

La Liga standings and Real Madrid’s advantage

With this loss, Barcelona’s lead in La Liga is now under threat. Real Madrid, who secured a 4-0 win over Osasuna earlier in the weekend, can close the gap to just three points with a game in hand. As Barcelona navigates the international break, their focus will undoubtedly be on de Jong’s recovery, hoping to have him back in action soon. Barcelona will use the break to regroup and assess the fitness of key players, especially de Jong, as they prepare for a packed schedule. With the La Liga title race tightening, every point matters, and Flick will look to refine his squad’s form and consistency as they head into the next phase of the season.