Story byJason PettigroveMon, January 19, 2026 at 2:00 AM UTC·2 min readAfter two weeks without a La Liga fixture, Barca travelled to the Reale Arena full of confidence after winning both the Spanish Super Cup and their Copa del Rey game against Racing. Hansi Flick’s side have been in the groove for some while now, with many players at the top of their game as they headed to San Sebastian for a date with Real Sociedad. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe hosts came into the match unbeaten in five games after a slump which threatened to pull them into the relegation dogfight, whilst the Blaugranes were on a tremendous winning run in the Spanish top-flight – nine successive wins, each seeing two or more goals from the Catalans. La Real had lost 19 of the last 22 head-to-heads, though one of their two wins came in the last match to be played between the sides at this venue. Let’s take a look at three talking points from Sunday night’s game…Brilliant attacking play but lacking the finishing touchWe shouldn’t really be surprised at Barca’s penchant for attacking, given the results and standard of performances over the past couple of months, but things were taken up a notch against La Real. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn the opening half in particular, the Catalans were sensational in their attacking play. Not only was it purposeful and dynamic, but it was also an exercise in how to attack from every part of the pitch. Were it not for VAR, Barca would likely have been home and dry by half-time, and that they weren’t wasn’t for the lack of trying. Solid at the back – but still undoneThere’s little to reproach the defence for on a night when they did virtually everything right. Eric Garcia, as has become customary, was quietly efficient alongside a similarly adept Pau Cubarsi, both making interventions of the highest quality at various stages of the game. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBoth Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde got forward at every opportunity, and all four of the back line were solid for the most part in terms of their tackling and application. And yet, for all of their excellence, it was incredibly unfortunate that two relatively simple balls – and momentary lapses of concentration – would end with goals for the visitors against the run of play. VAR, luck and wayward finishing…Sometimes you have to admit that it’s just not your night. No matter that everything you’ve trained for during the week has worked in match play, the footballing Gods have just conspired against you. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHitting the woodwork multiple times, VAR being invoked to rule out more than one goal and then some wayward finishes, particularly from Dani Olmo…Could Barca really have done any more to win the game?