LA LIGA LEADERS Barcelona fell to a 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad on Sunday as they had a Robert Lewandowski goal controversially disallowed.
Sheraldo Becker’s 33rd-minute goal consigned the Catalan giants to their second league defeat of the season, leaving Hansi Flick’s side six points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, having played an extra match.
Lewandowski’s early disallowed strike led to furious debate over whether the Polish forward had been offside or not.
Barcelona were without teenage star Lamine Yamal after he suffered a blow to his ankle in the Champions League win at Red Star Belgrade midweek and badly missed his spark.
The Catalans failed to score in a match for the first time this season across all competitions as Real Sociedad, eighth, held firm.
Lewandowski thought he had fired Barcelona in front after 13 minutes when he reacted well to a blocked shot to fire home, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR review.
Referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez was told Lewandowski was offside, although the forward did not appear to be in front of Real Sociedad defender Nayef Aguerd.
The semi-automated offside technology used in La Liga indicated the front of Lewandowski’s boot was off, but Spanish media furiously debated whether the technology had misinterpreted Aguerd’s heel as part of the veteran striker’s boot.
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VAR has all the images and technique in the world to see that this goal was NOT offside yet the people behind the screen have given it as OFFSIDE!
With Barcelona’s strike chalked out, the hosts took control and tested visiting goalkeeper Inaki Pena several times.
Takefusa Kubo’s low drive stung Pena’s fingers after a fine dribble inside from the right flank by the Japan international.
Becker fired Real Sociedad ahead with a cool low finish after Luka Sucic nodded the ball into his path.
Flick brought on Olmo for the ineffective Frenkie de Jong at half-time but Barcelona remained second best.
Becker screwed a shot wide after Jules Kounde did just enough to put off the Real Sociedad winger, and Ander Barrenetxea also squeezed an effort wide from a tight angle after bursting into the area.
Despite scoring 40 goals in their first 12 league matches Barcelona were unable to find the net or even create any significant danger in the final stages.
In Italy, Napoli held Inter Milan to a 1-1 draw and maintained their lead at the top of Serie A as a host of teams now line up to contend top spot.
Antonio Conte’s Napoli are a point ahead of Inter and three other teams after escaping the San Siro with a hard-fought draw in which Hakan Calhanoglu slammed a 74th-minute penalty off the post.
Calhanoglu held his head in his hands after missing his first penalty in 18 attempts for Inter.
Turkey captain Calhanoglu, who had fired Inter to a win over Arsenal from the spot in the Champions League midweek, blasted home the hosts’ equaliser two minutes before the break after Scott McTominay tapped Napoli ahead midway through the first half.
From there Inter took the initiative and were unlucky not to go ahead through Federico Dimarco in the 53rd minute, when the Italy full-back’s low drive crashed out off the base of the post.
Inter sit fourth but only two points separate the top six, with Juventus just behind the four teams right on Napoli’s heels.
Second on goal difference are Atalanta, who won their sixth straight league match after coming back from a goal down at half-time to beat Udinese 2-1.
Fiorentina are also one of the quartet right behind Napoli — as are Lazio who won 1-0 at Monza — thanks to Moise Kean’s first professional hat-trick, which earned his team a 3-1 win over Verona.
Roma sacked Ivan Juric less than two months after he was hired to replace Daniele De Rossi as Roma languish just four points above the relegation zone in 12th following a 3-2 defeat to Bologna in front of livid fans, a large chunk of whom decided to leave at half-time in protest.
Former Italy coach Roberto Mancini is reportedly set to become Roma’s fourth coach of 2024 following Juric, De Rossi and Jose Mourinho, who was fired in January.
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Barca beaten and fume at VAR call, Napoli draw with Inter and Roma sack third coach this year
LA LIGA LEADERS Barcelona fell to a 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad on Sunday as they had a Robert Lewandowski goal controversially disallowed.
Sheraldo Becker’s 33rd-minute goal consigned the Catalan giants to their second league defeat of the season, leaving Hansi Flick’s side six points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, having played an extra match.
Lewandowski’s early disallowed strike led to furious debate over whether the Polish forward had been offside or not.
Barcelona were without teenage star Lamine Yamal after he suffered a blow to his ankle in the Champions League win at Red Star Belgrade midweek and badly missed his spark.
The Catalans failed to score in a match for the first time this season across all competitions as Real Sociedad, eighth, held firm.
Lewandowski thought he had fired Barcelona in front after 13 minutes when he reacted well to a blocked shot to fire home, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR review.
Referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez was told Lewandowski was offside, although the forward did not appear to be in front of Real Sociedad defender Nayef Aguerd.
The semi-automated offside technology used in La Liga indicated the front of Lewandowski’s boot was off, but Spanish media furiously debated whether the technology had misinterpreted Aguerd’s heel as part of the veteran striker’s boot.
With Barcelona’s strike chalked out, the hosts took control and tested visiting goalkeeper Inaki Pena several times.
Takefusa Kubo’s low drive stung Pena’s fingers after a fine dribble inside from the right flank by the Japan international.
Becker fired Real Sociedad ahead with a cool low finish after Luka Sucic nodded the ball into his path.
Flick brought on Olmo for the ineffective Frenkie de Jong at half-time but Barcelona remained second best.
Becker screwed a shot wide after Jules Kounde did just enough to put off the Real Sociedad winger, and Ander Barrenetxea also squeezed an effort wide from a tight angle after bursting into the area.
Despite scoring 40 goals in their first 12 league matches Barcelona were unable to find the net or even create any significant danger in the final stages.
In Italy, Napoli held Inter Milan to a 1-1 draw and maintained their lead at the top of Serie A as a host of teams now line up to contend top spot.
Antonio Conte’s Napoli are a point ahead of Inter and three other teams after escaping the San Siro with a hard-fought draw in which Hakan Calhanoglu slammed a 74th-minute penalty off the post.
Calhanoglu held his head in his hands after missing his first penalty in 18 attempts for Inter.
Turkey captain Calhanoglu, who had fired Inter to a win over Arsenal from the spot in the Champions League midweek, blasted home the hosts’ equaliser two minutes before the break after Scott McTominay tapped Napoli ahead midway through the first half.
From there Inter took the initiative and were unlucky not to go ahead through Federico Dimarco in the 53rd minute, when the Italy full-back’s low drive crashed out off the base of the post.
Inter sit fourth but only two points separate the top six, with Juventus just behind the four teams right on Napoli’s heels.
Second on goal difference are Atalanta, who won their sixth straight league match after coming back from a goal down at half-time to beat Udinese 2-1.
Fiorentina are also one of the quartet right behind Napoli — as are Lazio who won 1-0 at Monza — thanks to Moise Kean’s first professional hat-trick, which earned his team a 3-1 win over Verona.
Roma sacked Ivan Juric less than two months after he was hired to replace Daniele De Rossi as Roma languish just four points above the relegation zone in 12th following a 3-2 defeat to Bologna in front of livid fans, a large chunk of whom decided to leave at half-time in protest.
Former Italy coach Roberto Mancini is reportedly set to become Roma’s fourth coach of 2024 following Juric, De Rossi and Jose Mourinho, who was fired in January.
– © AFP 2024
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