Barcelona have broken their curse at the Anoeta.
Luis Suarez on Sunday scored twice before Lionel Messi completed Barcelona’s 4-2 comeback win at Real Sociedad, giving the Catalan club their first league win at the Basque Country side since 2007.
Barcelona were behind by two goals when Suarez set up Paulinho before halftime.
Photo: Reuters
The Uruguayan then scored twice in the second half to put the visitors ahead as heavy rain fell in the northern city of San Sebastian.
Messi secured the three points when he scored from a free-kick with five minutes remaining.
Barcelona reached the halfway point of the season unbeaten and with a nine-point lead over second-placed Atletico Madrid. Valencia trail by 11, while defending champions Real Madrid face a massive 19-point deficit with a game in hand.
“Our bad run here in the league is finally over,” Suarez said. “This is the best way to finish the first half of the season, winning and doing so by turning around a match we were losing.”
The fightback ended Barcelona’s run of five losses and two draws in La Liga at Sociedad.
Barcelona also extended their undefeated streak across all competitions this season to 29 games since losing the Supercopa de Espana to Real Madrid in August last year.
“What can I say? The numbers speak for themselves. We are happy with the season we are having after the difficult start we had,” Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said. “Now we have the second half of the season. We don’t rule out our rivals, but we only need to worry about what we will do. That’s the advantage of being in the lead.”
Sociedad got off to an ideal start in the 11th minute when Xabi Prieto swung in a long cross from the left to Willian Jose, who headed the ball off the turf and over the reach of goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Sociedad got a second goal when Juanmi Jimenez was played clear by Sergio Canales in the 31st minute. His strike took a deflection off Sergi Roberto to leave Ter Stegen out of position.
However, Barcelona pulled one back against the flow of play in the 39th minute when Paulinho was alone to tap in Suarez’s pass.
Suarez leveled the score at 2-2 five minutes after halftime when he scored with an exquisite single touch of his right boot after a pass by Messi from near the corner of the penalty area.
Suarez then completed the turnaround in the 71st minute when Thomas Vermaelen jumped highest to head the ball to the striker, who was alone to fire past goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.
Rulli was again left flatfooted when Messi dipped his free-kick over the wall and inside the post.
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