Barcelona secured a 2-1 comeback victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday, a result that propelled them to the top of the La Liga 2025-26 standings. The win, Barcelona’s sixth in seven matches, moved them onto 19 points, establishing a one-point lead over rivals Real Madrid, who suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday. Coach Hansi Flick praised the team's resilience, saying, “It was a team victory. They knew how to play and it was hard work, but we deserved it.”
Despite dominating the first half with 87% possession, Real Sociedad took the lead against the run of play in the 31st minute. Former Real Madrid right-back Álvaro Odriozola, making his first start of the season, finished a low cross from Ander Barrenetxea from the edge of the six-yard box. The goal came after Sociedad's goalkeeper, Alex Remiro, had made a diving save to deny an earlier attempt by Marcus Rashford.
Barcelona quickly responded to the setback, finding the equalizer just before halftime. Marcus Rashford whipped in a corner kick that found Jules Koundé in the box, and the French defender powered it past the keeper in the 43rd minute. Koundé, who was relieved to score, acknowledged the team's suffering, saying, "It was a difficult game, I didn't like our last 25 minutes, we suffered too much.”
The second half saw a confident Barcelona push for the winner, which arrived less than a minute after substitute Lamine Yamal entered the game. The 18-year-old, returning from a groin injury, dribbled past a defender and delivered the perfect cross to Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker's header hit the post before going in, putting the hosts 2-1 up in the 58th minute. Lewandowski nearly scored again, but his effort later hit the crossbar.
Barcelona maintained the lead through a chaotic final phase that saw both sides hit the woodwork. With their five-match winning streak across all competitions intact, Barcelona will now focus on their Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, before returning to La Liga action against Sevilla next Sunday. Flick emphasized the need to focus on the next challenge, stating, “It’s good, but it’s a long road ahead... tomorrow we will start focusing all our attention on PSG.”