Barcelona reclaimed second place in LaLiga with a 2-0 home win over Real Sociedad on Monday courtesy of a Lamine Yamal first-half strike and a late Raphinha penalty.
Yamal put Barcelona ahead in the 40th minute when he coolly slotted home from Ilkay Gundogan s pass after a quick breakaway for his fifth LaLiga goal this season.
Raphinha s penalty in stoppage time sealed victory for the hosts after a VAR review for handball, leaving the Basque side in seventh place with 54 points, one behind Real Betis in the last Europa League spot.
Xavi s side leapfrogged Girona to move on to 76 points, one clear of their Catalan rivals who dropped points in Friday s 2-2 draw at Alaves.
Real Madrid have already secured the league title, sitting on 90 points with three games left.
FULL TIME!
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
Data Debrief:
Gundogan got a vital assist for Barcelona s opener, and has been involved in 193 open-play shot-ending sequences in LaLiga this season, more than any other player in the competition.
Barcelona have kept a clean sheet in both games against Real Sociedad in LaLiga 2023-24 (W2), achieving this in a single season of the competition for the first time since 2006-07, when they also beat them twice.
