Soccer

Toothless Barcelona beaten by Real Sociedad

Inter Milan and Napoli shared the spoils in Serie A.

Real Sociedad’s players celebrate after Sheraldo Becker scored the winning goal against Barcelona (Miguel Oses/AP)
Real Sociedad’s players celebrate after Sheraldo Becker scored the winning goal against Barcelona (Miguel Oses/AP) (Miguel Oses/AP)

Barcelona failed to extend their advantage at the top of LaLiga as Sheraldo Becker’s first-half strike earned Real Sociedad a 1-0 victory at the Reale Arena.

Barca boss Hansi Flick was dealt a blow before kick-off when Lamine Yamal was ruled out through injury and Becker’s 33rd-minute goal was enough to condemn the visitors to their second league defeat of the season.

Barcelona, ​​who failed to score in LaLiga for the first time in the current campaign, maintain a six-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand.

Jan Oblak rescued Atletico Madrid again as Diego Simeone’s side rode their luck to win 1-0 at Mallorca and move back into third place.

Oblak repeatedly denied the hosts before playing a part in Julian Alvarez’s 60th-minute winner, the goalkeeper’s long punt finding Giuliano Simeone to square the ball for Alvarez to score the game’s only goal.

Getafe remain just a point above the relegation zone after losing 1-0 at home to Girona, while Real Valladolid drew 1-1 with Athletic Bilbao and Marc Bartra scored a 95th-minute equaliser to give Real Betis a 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo.

Hakan Calhanoglu went from hero to villain as Inter Milan and Napoli drew 1-1 in a top-of-the-table clash in Serie A.

The Turkey international smashed home a 30-yard equaliser to cancel out former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay’s opener but then ruined his perfect penalty record when he hit a post from 12 yards in the 74th minute.

Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu misses a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Napoli (Luca Bruno/AP)
Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu misses a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Napoli (Luca Bruno/AP) (Luca Bruno/AP)

The point was enough to keep Napoli, the 2023 champions, on top, with Inter just one point behind in fourth.

Atalanta moved up to second in the table after coming from behind to win their sixth straight game with a 2-1 victory over Udinese.

Hassane Kamara gave the visitors the lead in first-half stoppage time, but Atalanta equalised through Mario Pasalic and claimed all three points courtesy of an own goal from Isaak Toure, who inadvertently turned a cross into his own net.

Fiorentina are alongside Atalanta on 25 points after a Moise Kean hat-trick gave them a 3-1 win over Hellas Verona, while Roma’s 3-2 defeat at Bologna prompted the club to sack manager Ivan Juric after less than two months in charge.

Roma head coach Ivan Juric was sacked after his side’s 3-2 loss at home to Bologna (Omar Havana/AP)
Roma head coach Ivan Juric was sacked after his side’s 3-2 loss at home to Bologna (Omar Havana/AP) (Omar Havana/AP)

Juric was given a contract until the end of the season after replacing Daniele De Rossi on September 18 but paid the price for a run of just two wins from the last nine games in all competitions.

Eintracht Frankfurt remain third in Germany’s Bundesliga after Omar Marmoush scored one and set up another in a 3-2 win at former side Stuttgart.

Ermedin Demirovic missed a penalty for the home side, who also had Julian Chabot’s header ruled out for offside.