Real Sociedad hit back from two goals down to end Barcelona’s unbeaten La Liga record in stunning fashion at the Anoeta this evening. All looked to be going to plan for Tito Vilanova’s visitors when Lionel Messi and Pedro Rodriguez put them two goals up within 25 minutes.
But Gonzalo Castro’s brilliant strike gave Sociedad hope before half-time and then Barca had center-back Gerard Pique sent off. Pique’s red card was really silly.He was needlessly booked before the break for not retreating 10 yards at a set-play, and then was sent off 11 minutes after the restart when he was shown a second yellow card for a trip on Vela.
Spurred on by a passionate home crowd, Real Sociedad went in search of a famous winner and got it in stoppage time when Imanol Agirretxe poked Carlos Martinez’s cross from the right past Victor Valdes.
Barcelona’s first top-flight loss in 24 matches, a run stretching back to 21 April, means Atlético Madrid can trim their lead to nine points on Sunday by beating Levante.
Elsewhere, Granada edged clear of trouble following a 2-0 defeat of Rayo Vallecano and the Getafev Sevilla and Málaga v Celta Vigo games ended 1-1.