Real Sociedad stun Barcelona 2–1 in Spanish league clash

January 19, 2026 / 9:04 AM

Sharjah24: Real Sociedad secured a crucial 2–1 win over league leaders Barcelona in Round 20 of La Liga, ending Barcelona’s winning streak of more than two months.

Barcelona entered the match on an 11-game winning run across all competitions but were halted on the road by a determined Real Sociedad side. The defeat benefited Real Madrid and their new head coach Álvaro Arbeloa, as the gap at the top of the table narrowed to just one point following Madrid’s win over Levante.

Champions League implications

The loss was also significant ahead of key UEFA Champions League fixtures. Barcelona, coached by Hansi Flick, sits 15th in the unified group standings and faces Slavia Prague on Wednesday, while Real Madrid, seventh in the table, hosts Monaco on Tuesday.

The defeat marked the first time Barcelona failed to score at least twice in 11 consecutive matches across all competitions.