Madrid, Sep 29 (AP) Lamine Yamal wasted no time making an impact upon his return from injury. Coming on as a substitute in the second half, Yamal assisted Robert Lewandowski's decisive 59th-minute goal to help Barcelona secure a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad in the Spanish league on Sunday.
Barcelona's streak of five consecutive victories across all competitions has propelled the Catalan club to the top of the Spanish league standings, now one point clear of Real Madrid, who suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Barcelona has impressively scored in 44 consecutive matches in all competitions—a feat the club last achieved in the 1940s. The ongoing streak began in late 2024, after a 1-0 league setback to Leganes.
"I am very proud," expressed Barcelona coach Hansi Flick. "I believe this victory will greatly assist us in continuing to improve." Yamal made his entrance in the match's 58th minute, replacing Roony Bardghji, marking his first action after a four-game absence due to a pubic-area injury sustained during international duty with Spain.
"It's great to have him back," Flick added.
Yamal nearly put an additional mark on the scoreboard, though a goal of his own was disallowed for offside in the 74th minute, and he almost assisted on another burst from Lewandowski in the 84th, with the Polish striker denied only by the crossbar. Before the game, Yamal had the chance to present his prestigious Ballon d'Or award for the best young player of the year to the fans.
"I'm extremely happy to see him playing again," said Barcelona defender Jules Koundé about Yamal. "We're going to need him moving forward."
Barcelona is still waiting on the necessary permits to return to their rejuvenated Camp Nou Stadium. In the interim, they find themselves back at Montjuic stadium after utilizing a 6,000-capacity venue at their training center for their initial pair of Spanish league home games. The club is also set to host Paris Saint-Germain at Montjuic on Wednesday in their Champions League home opener.
Real Sociedad initially took the lead with Álvaro Odriozola scoring from close range in the 31st minute following a breakaway. Barcelona equalized shortly before half-time, with Koundé heading in from a corner in the 43rd minute. Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo hit the framework twice, in the 72nd and 84th minutes. Flick chose to give a debut to 17-year-old Pedro "Dro" Fernández, who started in the midfield.
For Sociedad, it marked their fourth defeat in five matches. They had previously surged morale with a 1-0 victory over Mallorca, their first triumph this season.
Elche's Remarkable Run: Newly-promoted Elche is seeing an inspiring start to life back in the top division after a two-year absence. André Silva struck in the 18th minute and John Chetauya doubled the advantage in the 68th, claiming a 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo, who scored through Borja Iglesias in the 22nd minute.
Elche remains unbeaten in seven matches, boasting three wins and four draws, and currently sits in the Champions League qualifying positions. Celta, along with the last-placed Girona, remain winless in the league, having entered the match drawn five consecutive games.
Late Drama for Sevilla: Sevilla capitalized on their lone shot on target, clinching a 1-0 win at Rayo Vallecano for their third victory in five league outings. Rayo controlled much of the play but saw Akor Adams net the decisive goal in the 87th minute, following a swift breakaway. Rayo's winless run now stretches across five matches, featuring two successive losses.
In the day's concluding fixture, Real Betis secured a home win over Osasuna, with first-half finishes from Ez Abde and Cucho Hernández sealing a 2-0 victory. (AP)
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