United News of Bangladesh

Barcelona secured a vital 2-1 comeback victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday at home, to climb above arch-rivals Real Madrid and claim the top spot in La Liga. Hansi Flick’s side controlled the match from the outset, dominating the opening half-hour with over 85 percent possession and registering multiple shots on target. However, against the run of play, the hosts were stunned in the 31st minute when Álvaro Odriozola finished a pass from Ander Barrenetxea, giving the visitors a shock 1-0 lead. The defending champions’ immediate pressure was immense. After goalkeeper Álex Remiro brilliantly intervened to prevent an Igor Zubeldia own goal, Barcelona finally found their equalizer in the 43rd minute. French defender Jules Kounde rose to head home a corner delivered by Marcus Rashford, sending the teams into the break tied at 1-1. Goals galore as Atletico stuns Real Madrid in fiery derby clash The decisive moment came early in the second half, driven by a strategic substitution. Coach Flick introduced 18-year-old forward Lamine Yamal for fellow teenager Roony Bardghji in the 58th minute, and Yamal immediately impacted the game. He burst into the box, shrugged off a challenge, and delivered a superb cross, which veteran striker Robert Lewandowski routinely headed home. Although that appeared to be the winning goal later, the battle continued until the final whistle. Barcelona had another goal from Lamine Yamal ruled out for a marginal offside, and in the 84th minute, both sides spurned golden chances within seconds. Takefusa Kubo rattled the crossbar for Sociedad before Lewandowski immediately hit the bar at the other end on a counter-attack. With this hard-fought victory, Barcelona extends their unbeaten start to the season. They now lead the league standings with 19 points from six wins and one draw in seven matches, moving one point ahead of Real Madrid, who drop to second after a shocking 5-2 derby defeat at Metropolitano a night earlier. Bad news for Barcelona: Gavi and Fermin sidelined with Injuries Next up, Barcelona will host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday. Real Madrid will visit Kazakhstan to face Kairat Almaty on Tuesday. Real Sociedad, not in European competition this season, will host Rayo Vallecano on October 5 in their next league match.

Uncertainty is growing among FC Barcelona fans as the team’s return to their home stadium, Spotify Camp Nou, continues to be delayed. The repeated postponements have forced the Catalan club to play their first home match of the season last night at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium. The Nou Camp has served as Barcelona's home ground since it opened in 1957. Renovation work began in June 2023, at a cost of around 1.3bn euros, with the goal of modernising the stadium and expanding its capacity to 105,000 - making it one of the largest grounds in the world. But the club has not provided a clear timeline for when they will be able to return to Camp Nou. On Thursday, club president Joan Laporta stated that “the stadium is almost finished and ready for hosting games.” An official statement was published regarding this as he added, “We will be back home soon,” but did not give a specific date, saying it depends on receiving the necessary permits from the authorities. The president assured fans that the club is working hard to make the return a reality as soon as possible.

Kylian Mbappé once again showcased his class, leading Real Madrid to a hard-fought victory against the odds. Playing with 10 men for over 60 minutes, Los Blancos pulled off a gritty 2–1 win over Real Sociedad in San Sebastián, thanks to a goal and an assist from the French superstar. The victory maintained Real Madrid’s flawless start to the La Liga season. They have earned a perfect 12 points from their first four matches, topping the table as Xabi Alonso’s side chases the league crown. Returning from the international break, Kylian Mbappe proved decisive yet again. The French star opened the scoring and later set up Arda Güler for Madrid’s second goal, while Mikel Oyarzabal netted Sociedad’s lone goal. Madrid struck in just the second minute of the match when Güler found the net, but Mbappe was ruled offside in the build-up. Ten minutes later, the French star ledReturning from the international break, Kylian Mbappe proved decisive yet again. his team with a bullet shot, his fourth goal of the campaign. In the 32nd minute, Real Madrid’s rhythm was cooled down when young defender Dean Huijsen was shown a straight red card for hauling down last man Mikel Oyarzabal from behind. Madrid’s protests for a VAR review were waved away, leaving Alonso fuming on the touchline and earning him a yellow card. It was the 20-year-old Spain international’s second red card in just eight appearances for his club. Despite the setback, Madrid extended their lead a minute before halftime. Mbappe once again dazzled, this time down the left flank. He skipped past a defender and cut the ball back for Güler, who controlled it well and finished from close range. Sociedad piled on the pressure after the break. Pablo Marín’s deflected strike hit both posts before rolling clear, and in the 55th minute, Oyarzabal converted a penalty after Dani Carvajal was penalized for a handball in the box. Oyarzabal came close again in the 65th minute but was denied by a sharp save from Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian goalkeeper rescued Madrid once more in the 84th minute with another crucial stop from the Sociedad captain. Sociedad dominated possession with nearly 64 percent of the ball and fired 23 shots, but only four tested Courtois. In contrast, Madrid was more clinical, registering six shots on target from 16 attempts. The result leaves Sociedad languishing in 17th place with just two points from four matches, while Real Madrid continues to set the pace at the top. Their next league match will be played next Saturday against Catalan side Espanyol. Before that, Alonso’s team will host Ligue 1 club Olympique Marseille at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday.

On Sunday (March 02, 2025), Barcelona secured a commanding 4-0 victory over Real Sociedad at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.  Real Betis, Athletic Bilbao, and Real Sociedad—three of La Liga’s strongest teams—faced Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, and Barcelona in the same week. After Real Madrid failed to overcome the challenge, Atlético Madrid took full advantage. Barcelona easily secured their win as Real Sociedad were reduced to 10 men. A Dominant Display at the Olympic Stadium The match turned heavily in Barcelona’s favour just 15 minutes in when Sociedad captain Aritz Elustondo received a straight red card, leaving his team with 10 players. Taking advantage, Barcelona quickly gained control, with fullback Gerard Martin and midfielder Marc Casado scoring in the 25th and 29th minutes, respectively. In the second half, Ronald Araújo and Robert Lewandowski added two more goals in the 56th and 60th minutes. Read more: San Diego FC makes its home debut before a sellout crowd in a city hungry for top-level soccer With this victory, Barcelona reclaimed the top spot in the league with 57 points from 26 matches (18 wins, 3 draws). Atlético Madrid dropped to second with 56 points, while Real Madrid slipped to third with 54.