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May 24, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Real Sociedad midfielder Ruben Pardo (14) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the second half against the Houston Dynamo at Compass Stadium. The Dynamo won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

FC Barcelona Disappoints Against Real Sociedad

Originally posted on Stadium Rant | By Stefania Zajdel | Last updated Jan 19, 2026 9:01 AM ET

Under a cloud-ridden Spanish sky, FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad faced each other on the latter’s home ground. Tensions were high between the La Liga leaders and a team fighting the possibility of relegation. If there was one thing the match was sure to provide, it was a fair amount of action.

The Match Of Disallowed Goals

The first time the ball ended up in either net came barely thirty seconds after the first whistle. Sociedad would have noted an exceptional start, had the action not been offside. Barcelona’s answer came quickly. No more than a minute later, Pedri almost put his team in the lead. Ultimately, nothing came of his efforts, and the score remained unchanged.

Barcelona also managed to put the ball in their opponent’s net, only to see their goals be disallowed. It first happened in the seventh minute, after the effort of Fermín López. Just as the young player began celebrating, VAR revealed a foul that had occurred earlier in the action. A bit over ten minutes later, Pedri’s perfect pass set up Frenkie de Jong for a goal-scoring opportunity, but the Dutchman was visibly offside. It still wasn’t the end. Lamine Yamal also managed an incredibly impressive action that culminated in a goal… Or so it seemed until the side referee’s flag shot up into the air. A VAR check confirmed yet another offside.

Sociedad In The Lead

The first goal of note, that is, one that ended up changing the score, came in the 32nd minute. Despite Barcelona’s relentless attacks, it wasn’t they who managed to open the game. That honor went to Mikel Oyarzabal, who did the impossible and put the ball past Joan García.

Barcelona was quick to attempt a counterattack. They spent the last minutes of the first half pressing hard while trying to equalize the score. A glimmer of hope shone in the last minute of the added time, as Yamal was fouled inside Sociedad’s penalty box. Unfortunately for all Culers, before he could line up to take the shot, replays revealed that he had been slightly offside earlier in the action. The penalty was therefore called off.

The Equalizer And The Quick Response

Barcelona came into the second half hungry for a goal, but none of their early attempts were good enough to culminate in anything worth celebrating. Time after time, they wasted perfect chances and straightforward situations.

Jul 30, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal (27) controls the ball against Manchester City in the second half during a Champions Tour friendly match at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The tides seemed to have turned in the 70th minute when Marcus Rashford, after a pass from Lamine Yamal, finally managed to score Barcelona’s first goal. Blaugrana didn’t get to celebrate the equalizer for long as Sociedad performed an immediate counterattack. Just like that, the Basque team regained the advantage, making it 2-1.

Heated Ending

The quick, impressive response gave the home heroes a surge of new energy and determination. Sociedad continued pushing the shaky Barcelona, making their young goalkeeper work for his paycheck. That is not to say that Blaugrana didn’t answer. They managed a few impressive attacks of their own, including one in which Jules Koundé hit the ball into the top bar, barely missing out on a goal.

Sociedad had to finish the match with only ten players on the field after Carlos Soler received a red card in the 88th minute. It was fairly awarded after a brutal foul on Pedri. Still, even with the player advantage and the nine minutes added to the standard time, Barcelona couldn’t catch up to their opponents.

End Of My Barcelona Rant

The chaotic match ended Barcelona’s long winning streak, but thanks to their four-point cushion, they managed to keep the La Liga lead. The disappointing weekend, however, put them in a less-than-perfect situation. Now, there is only one point separating Blaugrana from the hungry Real Madrid.

This article first appeared on Stadium Rant and was syndicated with permission.

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