Hangover Barcelona: first knockout at home. And Real Sociedad secures fourth place

From our correspondent Filippo Maria Ricci

May, 20th
– Madrid

Real Sociedad had to defend the precious fourth place, Barcelona comes from a week of celebration after the victory of La Liga. This explains the victory of the Basques at the Camp Nou, 2-1 with a goal from Mikel Merino after just 5 minutes, a double from Sorloth and a goal in the final from pichichi Lewandowski. First defeat at Barça, first victory for Real at the Camp Nou since 1991, after an endless streak of 31 games without a win and even 27 consecutive defeats.

SCOPIGNO BETTER THAN XAVI

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For Xavi, with 3 days to go, things get complicated due to the conquest of some defensive records between Spain and Europe. The result saves the primacy of Cagliari’s Manlio Scopigno who won Serie A in 1970 by conceding 11 goals in 30 games, 0.36 on average: Barcelona has now conceded 15 goals and even if they don’t concede more goals they will never improve their average islanders. There are also fifteen goals conceded by Mourinho’s Chelsea in 38 days in the 04-05 season, a record for 38 teams. In La Liga, the record is at 18.

HERE’S KESSIE AGAIN

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Xavi is without the suspended Gavi and the injured Pedri and Araujo, and returns to the 4-3-3. Abnormal defense with Balde ‘moved’ to the right, Kounde and Christensen in the middle and Jordi Alba to the left. Kessie is also the owner, 57 minutes in the blaugrana’s 5 previous outings. Real Sociedad without Silva, Oyarzabal and Kubo, who entered the second half. After Real Sociedad’s ‘pasillo’ to the Spanish champions and the choruses of culé to their heroes, the match immediately comes to life: Kounde’s mistake, Sorloth takes advantage of it who serves Mikel Merino for the 14th goal conceded by Ter Stegen in this Liga, the first from open play at home after a penalty and an own goal. For the German, the twenty-fourth clean sheet of this Liga is missing.

CHOIRS FOR MESSI

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Barcelona listened to the now usual chants for Messi in the 10th minute and then had a couple of chances – Dembélé’s header saved, Lewandowski’s misguided finish – but they didn’t do much to reward the affection of the 88,409 fans present for the match. Camp Nou party. And he was pardoned first by Barrenetxea (31′), an oversize lob, and then by the clumsy Sorloth (66′) who missed a header from 6 meters following a perfect assist from Kubo.

THE DOUBLING

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The Norwegian himself scored the 2-0 after a theft of Zubeldia from De Jong, unloading for Kubo who launches Zubimendi, Barça’s market goal, who serves Sorloth in the middle: precise touch, doubling and the Norwegian’s 11th goal in Liga. Barcelona’s goal came in the 90th minute from Lewandowski’s head following a cross from the right by Ferran Torres. For the Pole, best in La Liga, 22 goals, 5 more than Benzema, his pursuer. Then the Blaugrana party with the delivery of the La Liga trophy. Everyone happy, including Real Sociedad.