SAN SEBASTIÁN, Spain – In a night filled with controversy and VAR drama, Real Sociedad produced the upset of the season by defeating league leaders Barcelona 2-1 at the Reale Arena. The defeat brings an end to Hansi Flick’s incredible nine-game winning streak in La Liga, throwing the title race back into the spotlight.
VAR Frustration for Barcelona
The Catalan giants dominated possession from the opening whistle, playing with their trademark high line. However, the first half was marked by frustration for the visitors, who saw two goals disallowed for marginal offside calls. Despite their offensive pressure, Barcelona failed to make their dominance count on the scoresheet.
Real Sociedad, clinical and resilient, took advantage of a rare defensive lapse. Mikel Oyarzabal capitalized on a swift counter-attack, finishing a first-time strike to give the Basque side a surprise lead before the break.
A Rapid-Fire Second Half
Barcelona emerged for the second half with renewed intensity and finally found an equalizer through Marcus Rashford. The English forward’s goal seemed to signal a comeback for the visitors, who looked poised to take all three points.
However, the joy was short-lived. Just sixty seconds after Rashford’s strike, Real Sociedad responded. Gonçalo Guedes found space in the box and fired home the second goal, restoring the lead for the hosts and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
FINAL #RealSociedadBarça 2-1
💙🤍 ¡La @RealSociedad vence al @FCBarcelona_es y logra tres puntos vitales en su feudo!#LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/IT2p9BkBX2
— LALIGA (@LaLiga) January 18, 2026
Remiro’s Heroics
The final minutes were a siege on the Real Sociedad goal. Barcelona threw everything forward in search of a late equalizer, but goalkeeper Álex Remiro produced a string of world-class saves to preserve the lead.
The victory is a massive morale boost for Real Sociedad, who climb toward the European spots, while Barcelona must now regroup after their first domestic setback in over two months.
Miguel Manjate is a football journalist and editor covering the Premier League, European competitions, and transfer news, with a strong focus on match analysis and data-driven reporting.
