Real Sociedad stun Barcelona 2-1 to end leaders' winning streak

MADRID, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Real Sociedad earned a pulsating 2-1 home victory over LaLiga leaders Barcelona on Sunday, ending the Catalans' 11-match winning streak in all competitions. The thrilling encounter in a rain-soaked San Sebastian saw Sociedad withstand relentless pressure as Barcelona struck the woodwork five times in the second half. Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring with a volley in the 32nd minute but Barca equalised with a Marcus Rashford header from close range in the 70th. However, a minute later, Goncalo Guedes sealed the victory for the home side with another volley from inside the box. Sociedad were reduced to 10 men in the final minutes after Carlos Soler was given a straight red card for a reckless sliding tackle on Pedri. Despite the defeat, Hansi Flick's Barcelona remain top of the standings on 49 points, one point ahead of second-placed Real Madrid. Villarreal and Atletico Madrid trail far behind with both on 41 points. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Fernando is a Brazilian national who joined Reuters in 2021 after spending a decade in Madrid working for some of the world’s biggest sports media. As a multi-media journalist, he has covered everything from Olympics, World Cups and Champions League finals to Super Bowls and UFC fights for over 20 years. He is a sports commentator and analyst for DAZN, for Brazilian television group Globo and for Spain’s Radio Marca, as well as a regular guest in sports programs in Spanish, English and Portuguese. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from Madrid Autonomous University (UAM) and EL PAIS.