Barcelona win, delay Real Madrid’s looming title celebration

Barcelona defeated Real Sociedad 1-0 on Thursday to ensure Real Madrid should wait at the least one other week to have a good time the Spanish league title.

Barcelona’s away victory diminished its hole to Madrid to fifteen factors, and it might additional reduce it to 12 factors on Sunday if it defeats Rayo Vallecano at residence in a recreation it has in hand.

Barcelona and Madrid, which received 3-1 at Osasuna on Wednesday, may have 5 video games left. Madrid, making an attempt to clinch its second title in three seasons, doesn’t play this weekend.

“Madrid was lucky that it took a while for us to join the fight,” Barcelona defender Dani Alves stated.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored with a close-range header within the eleventh minute to provide Barcelona its first win after consecutive residence losses in opposition to Cadiz within the league and Eintracht Frankfurt within the Europa League. The Catalan membership had not misplaced two straight residence video games since 2003.

Barcelona’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates after scoring the opening aim throughout a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona on the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)

The victory in opposition to Sociedad left Barcelona tied on factors with Sevilla, which defeated Levante earlier Thursday to remain in place to safe a Champions League place subsequent season. Second place is also vital because it ensures a spot within the Spanish Super Cup.

“We suffered a lot but in the end we got three golden points and stayed in second place,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez stated. “It was an important victory even though we didn’t play too well.”

Defending champion Atletico Madrid, which was held to a 0-0 residence draw in opposition to relegation-threatened Granada on Wednesday, stayed two factors behind Barcelona and Sevilla. Fifth-place Real Betis trailed Atletico by 4 factors and was two forward of Sociedad.

Sociedad has not crushed Barcelona in 12 straight league matches. The Basque Country membership hadn’t misplaced in seven consecutive league video games at residence, all of them with clear sheets.

Barcelona prolonged its unbeaten streak on the street to 13 league matches, having received 5 in a row.

Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo left injured early within the second half, and the group’s different central defender, Gerard Pique, appeared to get injured within the first half however stayed till being substituted within the 82nd whereas being loudly jeered by the Sociedad followers.

Pique, who additionally heard some boos each time he touched the ball throughout the recreation, has been within the highlight in current days after stolen audio leaked to the media uncovered a collection of conversations between him and Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales speaking about behind-the-scenes negotiations on a number of points.

SEVILLA RECOVERS

Sevilla improved its probabilities of making it to the Champions League with a 3-2 win at second-to-last-place Levante.

Jesus “Tecatito” Corona scored two first-half objectives and Jules Kounde added one other after halftime.

Levante captain Jose Luis Morales needed to be comforted by teammates and opponents after the match due to a missed penalty kick that might have equalized the sport at 2-2 within the second half. Kounde gave Sevilla a 3-1 lead about 10 minutes later earlier than Roberto Soldado pulled the hosts nearer once more.

Levante stayed tied with last-place Alaves, six factors from security.

CADIZ FALLS AGAIN

Cadiz adopted up its beautiful 1-0 win in opposition to Barcelona on the Camp Nou Stadium with a 3-2 residence loss in opposition to Athletic Bilbao.

The outcome left Cadiz simply exterior the relegation zone.

Eighth-place Athletic was up 3-0 by the thirty third. It performed a person down from the 71st after Mikel Vesga was despatched off.

RELIEF FOR RAYO

Rayo received 1-0 at Espanyol to finish a 13-match winless streak within the league and transfer nearer to salvation.

Sergi Guardiola scored within the forty second to go away the southern Madrid membership seven factors from the relegation zone in 14th place. Espanyol, sitting in Twelfth-place, was two factors forward of Rayo.