Barcelona 2-1 Real Sociedad RECAP: Lionel Messi and Co restore nine-point lead over Atletico Madrid as La Liga title race reaches climax
- Barcelona returned to action against Real Sociedad at the Nou Camp
- A hectic run of three games in the space of eight days awaits the La Liga leaders
- Barca entered the tie off the back of their European win over Manchester United
- Goals from Clement Lenglet and Jordi Alba secured a 2-1 victory at home
Barcelona restored their nine-point lead at the top of La Liga by defeating Real Sociedad, ahead of what it set to be a hectic spell in their fixture schedule.
Lionel Messi and Co gained more open water at the summit of La Liga, with goals from Clement Lenglet and Jordi Alba sealing a 2-1 victory.
Here's how Sportsmail brought you all of the action from the Nou Camp as it unfolded live.
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And that is a wrap.
Another three points for the league leaders, as they put one hand on the La Liga trophy.
Goals from defenders Lenglet and Jordi Alba were the difference, as Barca restored their nine-point advantage at the top.
The visitors threaten down the right, but it's tame..
Coutinho is tracking back to get in a tackle before a cross can be launched in.
And with that Vidal's evening is over. He makes way for Sergi Roberto.
Pique winces and goes down after Willian almost kicks him in the face.
It was a high foot, and the defender makes the most of it to slow down the play a little.
Barca regroup and go again. The attack results in a corner, which is whipped into Vidal but he heads wide at the near post.
Not often we say this, but that was wasteful from Messi.
He hammers down the middle, and Sociedad defenders are scared to touch him.
Options were aplenty on both sides. But he opted not to slip in Coutinho.
Instead he goes back on himself, and is tackled.
An in-swinging freekick from deep is headed on and finds Vidal at the back post.
Unmarked, he stretches to make contact with the volley but can't keep it down.
Sociedad survive again... just.
Rakitic should have wrapped the game up, but skews his shot wide under pressure from Sangalli.
Suarez was bearing down on goal, before slipping a delicate pass to the Croatian on his left.
Rakitic went with power, with the top corner in mind. But it's wide.
Coutinho is whistled on to the pitch by a section of Camp Nou. Singing section then sing his name, but lots of whistles. It seems they didn't like his celebration from midweek.
Off goes Dembele to be replaced by Philippe Coutinho for the latter stages.
Rulli comes out bravely to deny Messi making it three!
A one-two lofted pass from Suarez released the No 10, but he couldn't finish it off.
It's behind for a goal kick.
Boom. Less than a minute later and the hosts are back ahead!
What a crazy couple of moments. Barca went straight up to the other end and found Alba overlapping on the left.
Cutting inside, he picks out the far bottom corner with a low, drilled effort.
VAR is briefly looked at as Dembele was ahead and technically offside... but he is judged not to have impaired the keeper's vision.
BARCELONA 2-1 REAL SOCIEDAD
And just like that the visitors are back in it!
It's a sublime through-ball from Merino, and Juanmi refused to give up on it after bursting through the Barca back line.
He's left of goal as ter Stegen steams out, but slides in and flicks the ball under the goalkeeper.
Messi passes up the chance to slip in Dembele!
Perhaps he wasn't convinced by the Frenchman's previous miss.
Messi weaved down the middle and space opened on the left. Dembele was waiting, but Messi hesitates and is challenged.
Sociedad counter attack...
My word Dembele is fast.
The Frenchman burns down the flank, tapping the ball that little bit further forward every time.
He gets to the byline with a clean pair of heels, but then pushes the recovering Sociedad defender.
A freekick is given by Barca regain possession immediately and find Dembele again on the edge of the area. He curls from the left, but narrowly misses the far corner. Gero Rulli in goal was well beaten.
And the first switch for Valverde sees the introduction of Busquets, as Artur makes way.
55 minutes played here at the Nou Camp.
Zubeldia off, Sangalli on.
Unfortunate there for the defender, who was went over on his knee as Barca fired up the pitch on the counter attack.
As Dembele zipped past him he winced and went down. Could face a few weeks in the treatment room after that.
Ter Stegen called into action at full stretch.
Pardo's shot from distance took a late deflection, and may well have been going into the fat corner.
The Barca stopper gets across through, with a safe palm.
Messi is prowling now.
He picks the ball up on the edge of the area, and slips in Dembele on the left after feinting to shoot.
The former Dortmund man tries to drop his shoulder and fake a cross before sliding it back to Messi.
Sociedad are equal to it though.
Sergi Busquets warming up and being spoken to by Ernesto Valverde's assistant - could be the first change here for Barcelona.
Oyarzabal heads over at the near post following a fizzing ball from Willian.
The angle was against him, but Barca had bodies back to cover.
We're back under way at the Nou Camp.
It will be tough on Lenglet if the club really do sign De Ligt this summer. Great header.
The Dutchman is wanted by a host of European clubs, with Barca being among those first mentioned in the conversation.
And there we have it, as the whistle blows.
First 45 down, as Barca take the lead with what was almost the final kick of the half.
And now we have the breakthrough!
Barca opted to switch wings to attack, this time Jordi Alba crossing from deep on the left. It was hit towards Suarez at the near post, and the keeper punches behind for a corner.
From the set-piece, it's delivered straight onto the head of Lenglet whose strong rise set him up for a power header, rise on the cusp of half-time!
BIG save from Rulli to deny Suarez's shot, low and hard from the left of goal.
It all started after Messi weaved his way into the area on the opposite flank.
He had a sea of bodies around him, but still managed to flick it back to Artur on the edge who fed in Suarez for the shot.
It's the best of the game and it's gone to the hosts!
It should be 1-0 to Sociedad. The ball was lofted over the top from Oyarzabal, falling to the feet of Artiz.
Ter Stegen saves before the ball bounces back for a rebound effort for Juanmi... but he puts it way over the bar!
Barca very fortunate indeed to escape unscathed.
The hosts starting to really get into tit now.
Artur plays a hopeful ball over the top, and Suarez backs into his man in the area before bringing it down.
On his touch, he then taps it away and goes down theatrically under contact.
The ref is having none of it.
Camp Nou some way short of full and not being treated to vintage Barcelona just yet. Busquets absence from starting line-up tonight is interesting. He is likely to play in midweek and then sit out the league game next weekend too to prepare him for Liverpool.
Much better this time from the Barca talisman.
Messi opts to dink the ball, and catch the keeper off guard.
It goes just over, and nestles on the roof of the goal.
As Barca break at the other end, a freekick is given on the edge as Vidal is brought down carelessly.
Again Messi stands over it. This time he'll want to beat the wall. 30 yards out...
A rare break from the hosts thrusts Ter Stegen into the action.
On the break, a hit-and-hope ball over the top set Artiz free to chase it down.
Barca's stopper was rushing out though, and heads clear the danger.
Semedo is again finding joy down the right, and aims a deep, lofted cross to Suarez.
Rulli is out again, and the former Liverpool man is denied on the edge of the area.
The former Newcastle man goes in the book for catching Messi.
Perhaps the No 10 is just getting his range in order...
He fancied an early goal, the wall had other ideas.
The telepathic Messi-Suarez connection almost yields our first breakthrough.
Messi picked the ball up on the right flank, between halfway and the goal-line.
Semedo darted for the overlap, but Messi opted to hit it first time from deep, up to Suarez running free in the area.
He jumps, and almost gets a glancing head to it. But goalkeeper Gero Rulli rushes out well and puts him off.
It's disappointing from the Argentine maestro, whose free-kicks have been sublime this season.
He got whip on the ball, slightly left outside the area.
But the wall jumps high and blocks with minimal ease. Suarez lunges for the loose ball rebound, but it's cleared.
First big chance as Sociedad give away a sloppy freekick on the edge.
Messi is straight over it...
Messi presses into the danger area and Sociedad immediately swarm him.
He releases Semedo down the right but the cross comes to nothing.
Reclaiming possession centrally after a clearance, Artur displays a nice bit of skill to take out two players and slot in Semedo once more.. but the full-back attempts an immediate cut-back.
Sociedad claim the loose ball and move upfield.
The ref has an early word with Arturo Vidal, as he chases down a loose pass in the Sociedad defence and chops Llorente down in the far right corner.
No card on this occasion.
Suarez looks to play in Dembele down the left and try the Frenchman's pace.
It's going to be a threat all evening, but on this early occasion Sociedad are equal to it, and clear.
The whistle has sounded and we're under way at the Nou Camp.
Barca get us started from the centre circle with Suarez.
A landmark evening for the Sociedad man.
Barca are unbeaten in 20 LaLiga games, holding the longest such active streak in the top flight.
Sociedad have only won three away games against Barca in 71 visits to the Catalan capital, drawing 7 and losing 61.
The txuri-urdin's last win at the Camp Nou was back in May of 1991.
Victory this evening would restore Barca's nine-point advantage at the top, and put them within touching distance of retaining their La Liga title.
When the two sides met earlier in the season - on matchday four - it was Barca who emerged triumphant.
Aritz Elustondo scored early on for the Basque side, but two rapid-fire goals from Luis Suárez and Ousmane Dembélé just past the hour mark earned Barça the victory.
Suárez has played a part in eight goals in eight La Liga games against Sociedad, with a quartet of goals and assists.
The La Liga giants have a busy week of three games in the space of eight days, as the season reaches its decisive stage.
First up for the Blaugrana is a tonight's encounter with Real Sociedad on matchday 33, as they defend a 9-point lead over Atlético Madrid.
Atleti triumphed over Eibar earlier today, but at the eleventh hour courtesy of an 85th minute Thomas Lemar strike.
The game comes in the wake of a successful European encounter with Manchester United, with ended with a 4-0 aggregate scoreline.
And here's how the visitors line up...
Ousmane Dembele in, as Philippe Coutinho drops to the bench...
And welcome to the most famous stadium in Spain.
Tonight the Nou Camp welcomes Real Sociedad, as Barcelona bid to defend their nine-point lead at the top of La Liga.
Team news coming up shortly...
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