Barcelona Return to Top of LaLiga with Dominant 4-0 Win Over Real Sociedad

Barcelona moved back to the top of the LaLiga table with a convincing 4-0 win over 10-man Real Sociedad, thanks to goals from Gerard Martin, Marc Casado, Ronald Araujo, and Robert Lewandowski.

Barcelona reclaimed top spot in the LaLiga table with a resounding 4-0 victory over 10-man Real Sociedad. The turning point in the match came when Aritz Elustondo received a red card, leaving Sociedad to face a rampant Barcelona with a numerical disadvantage. Despite a promising start from both teams, the red card proved pivotal in the outcome of the match.

The early stages of the match saw both teams create scoring opportunities. Real Sociedad thought they had taken the lead through Sergio Gomez's deflected effort, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside in the build-up. Barcelona then had a chance to break the deadlock, but Pedri's block looped onto the roof of the net after Alex Remiro was forced to clear the ball under pressure. Sociedad's Orri Oskarsson also struck the crossbar, but his effort was ultimately ruled out for offside.

The match took a decisive turn when Dani Olmo's darting run left Sociedad exposed, prompting captain Aritz Elustondo to haul down the Barcelona player. Referee Alejandro Quintero Gonzalez had no choice but to show Elustondo a red card, reducing Sociedad to 10 men. This proved to be a pivotal moment in the match, as Barcelona went on to dominate the game and secure a 4-0 victory.

FT: #BarçaRealSociedad 4-0@FCBarcelona head back to the TOP of LALIGA with a comfortable victory at Montjuïc. ✅🔝#LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/RIxBL6qVKD

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) March 2, 2025

Barcelona took advantage of facing a depleted Real Sociedad side, scoring their first goal just seven minutes after Aritz Elustondo's red card. Lamine Yamal cleverly sat down a defender before laying off the ball to Dani Olmo, who swept a pass to the back post for Gerard Martin to side-foot home his first professional goal.

By the 30-minute mark, Barcelona had established a comfortable two-goal cushion. Olmo was again involved, although his second assist was unintentional. The Spanish international fired a shot from the edge of the box that deflected off Marc Casado and the left post, resulting in Casado's first goal for Barcelona.

The second half saw Barcelona continue to dominate, with Pedri rifling a shot from range onto the frame of the goal shortly after the restart. Real Sociedad's task was already daunting, and two goals in the space of five minutes sealed the result. Ronald Araujo reacted quickest to a parried header from Robert Lewandowski, scoring his first league goal of the season.

Araujo then turned provider, as his long-range strike was diverted past Alex Remiro by Lewandowski. The Polish international had a chance to score a second goal but mistimed a header in the closing stages. Nevertheless, the victory was already secure, and Barcelona's unbeaten run in all competitions now stands at 15 games (W12, D3).

The win propels Hansi Flick's Barcelona to the top of the LaLiga standings, one point clear of Atletico Madrid and three points ahead of Real Madrid in third. In contrast, Real Sociedad's defeat leaves them ninth in a congested midtable, with this loss marking their 26th in 27 league head-to-heads away from home.