Osamagbe Imadiyi
Due to a contentious disallowed goal by Robert Lewandowski, La Liga leaders Barcelona lost 1-0 to Real Sociedad on Sunday. Despite playing an extra game, Hansi Flick’s team is now six points ahead of Real Madrid in second place after Sheraldo Becker’s goal in the 33rd minute condemned the Catalan powerhouses to their second league defeat of the year.
After 13 minutes, Lewandowski thought he had given Barça the lead when he quickly reacted to a blocked shot, but a VAR review disallowed the goal. The front of Lewandowski’s boot was flagged as offside by La Liga’s semi-automated offside technology, but Spanish media questioned if the system had mistakenly read Aguerd’s heel as a component of the seasoned striker’s boot.
After Barcelona’s goal was disallowed, the home team took charge and repeatedly put visiting goalie Iñaki Peña to the test. After Luka Sučić nodded the ball into his path, Becker finished calmly and low to give Real Sociedad the lead.
Barcelona failed to score or pose a serious threat in the closing minutes, even though they had scored 40 goals in their first 12 league games.