Barcelona snatch win at Sociedad, Girona top LaLiga

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said football is "inexplicable" after Ronald Araujo's 92nd minute winner snatched an undeserved 1-0 victory at Real Sociedad Saturday in LaLiga.

Having suffered a last-gasp defeat by Real Madrid in the Clasico last Saturday despite having the better of the game, Xavi's side inflicted the same suffering on Sociedad in San Sebastian.

Barca failed to create any clear chances until the final stages, with their goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen keeping the score level, before Araujo headed Ilkay Gundogan's cross home with seconds remaining.

The victory takes Barca third, two points above Atletico Madrid, who lost Friday at Las Palmas, and one point behind second place Real, who host Rayo Vallecano Sunday.

Girona provisionally lead LaLiga by three points from Los Blancos after they came from behind to beat Osasuna 4-2 earlier Saturday.

"It tastes spectacular," Xavi told Movistar after Araujo's late winner.

"Football sometimes is inexplicable - last week we deserved to win and ended up losing, now (we) don't deserve to win, and end up winning."

Real midfielder Jude Bellingham's double inflicted Barca's first league defeat and Xavi said the team were still reeling from it as La Real outplayed them.

"Maybe we came out with a post-Clasico hangover...we didn't have the intensity that we wanted," added Xavi.

The coach brought Robert Lewandowski into the Barca starting line-up after he made his return from injury as a substitute against Real.

However the Polish forward was just as quiet as he was last weekend as the game passed him and Barca by for large periods.

Sociedad pushed the Catalans back through the first half, carving out by far the better chances but were unable to find the opener.

Within the first 30 seconds Ander Barrenetxea called Ter Stegen into action, and Barca's German goalkeeper was under the cosh as the hosts rampaged forward.

Sociedad remained on top after the break but Barca found more stability, tightening up at the back and closing off some of the space Barrenetxea and Kubo enjoyed earlier on.

Pedri made his comeback from injury in the second half, replacing Lewandowski for his first appearance since August, as Xavi sought more control.

The champions produced their first genuine chance in stoppage time when Pedri cleverly slipped in Gavi, but Remiro denied the midfielder.

Their chance to steal the points seemed to have vanished but center-back Araujo popped up in the right place at the right time to pull off the heist.

"These are three very important points after coming from the Clasico, which we lost playing well," Araujo told Movistar.

The defeat leaves Sociedad sixth, after Real Betis beat Real Mallorca to rise above them.

"Generally we were better than them, we didn't put away our chances and they scored the one they had," Sociedad forward Mikel Oyarzabal told Movistar.

"I think it's worse to lose without showing up, to lose without playing well...if you have to lose, I prefer to lose like this."

Earlier Girona continued their stunning start to the season with a late comeback to beat Osasuna and take pole position.

Ivan Martin sent the visitors ahead but Osasuna striker Ante Budimir netted twice to turn the game on its head.

Ukrainian duo Artem Dovbyk and Viktor Tsygankov both struck for Girona to put them back in front and Aleix Garcia wrapped up the win late on, their 10th victory in 12 league games.

However Girona coach Michel said his club were not competing with Spain's big three, but instead the other sides aspiring to establish themselves in the top four.

"We're not in the league of Barca, Real and Atleti, but we will fight to be in the league of those coming in behind them," said Michel.

"I dream of that, being in the league of La Real (Sociedad), Athletic (Bilbao), Rayo...now, yes, I dream of that league."

Elsewhere Betis earned a comfortable 2-0 win at home over Mallorca.

French playmaker Nabil Fekir appeared as a substitute for Betis to make his return from a knee ligament injury which has kept him out since February.

Rafael Benitez's Celta Vigo remained in the relegation zone after Youssef En-Nesyri struck late to secure a 1-1 draw for Sevilla at Balaidos.

RESULTS

Osasuna 2 (Budimir 25, 55) Girona 4 (Martin 16, Dovbyk 71, Tsygankov 80, Garcia 90)

Betis 2 (Jose 7, Perez 65) Mallorca 0

Celta 1 (Starfelt 22) Sevilla 1 (En-Nesyri 84)

Sociedad 0 Barcelona 1 (Araujo 90+3)

Friday

Las Palmas 2 (Kirian 51, Ramirez 75) Atletico 1 (Morata 83)