Barcelona secured a cushty 4-0 win over Actual Sociedad on Sunday to maneuver again prime of La Liga.
HT Picture
Aritz Elustondo’s early crimson card gave Hansi Flick’s facet a cushty afternoon with Gerard Martin, Marc Casado, Ronald Araujo and Robert Lewandowski on the scoresheet.
Atletico Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao on Saturday to briefly knock the Catalans from their perch, whereas Actual Madrid, third, misplaced at Actual Betis.
Flick was in a position to rotate his facet slightly forward of the Champions League final 16 go to to face Benfica on Wednesday.
Actual Sociedad, ninth, threatened within the opening levels however fell foul of Barcelona’s offside lure, with Sergio Gomez’s strike dominated out.
On the different finish Barcelona playmaker Pedri Gonzalez got here shut when he pressed La Actual goalkeeper Alex Remiro and deflected his tried clearance simply over and onto the roof of the web.
The sport swung Barcelona’s method when Elustondo was despatched off within the seventeenth minute for flattening Dani Olmo as he ran in behind him by on objective.
The hosts took the lead after 25 minutes when Olmo chipped the ball throughout for Martin to fireside residence the primary objective of his profession.
4 minutes later Barca had their second, with Olmo concerned once more, this time his wayward shot deflected residence by team-mate Casado.
The enterprising Lamine Yamal teed up Pedri however Remiro saved his shot from the sting of the field as Barca dominated.
Pedri got here shut once more after the break with an effort from vary which bounced again off the crossbar, shortly earlier than Araujo nabbed the third.
Remiro pushed out Lewandowski’s header from nook however Araujo was available to nod residence the rebound.
Lewandowski cleverly transformed Barcelona’s fourth when Araujo’s low drive from distance prodded residence by the veteran Polish ahead.
The 36-year-old leads the league with 21 objectives in 25 appearances.
Barcelona performed out the ultimate half hour with out incident, often threatening, with substitute Ferran Torres twice coming near a fifth.
rbs/dmc
SPORT LISBOA E BENFICA – FUTEBOL