Barcelona's Ronald Araujo celebrates scoring his side's 3rd goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona routs 10-man Real Sociedad 4-0 to go top in Spain

MADRID (AP) — Barcelona cruised to a 4-0 rout over 10-man Real Sociedad to regain the lead in Spain on Sunday.

Gerard Martín, Marc Casadó, Ronald Araujo and Robert Lewandowski scored a goal each to put Barcelona one point ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid at the top of the Spanish league. Barcelona is three points ahead of third-placed Real Madrid, which lost 2-1 at Real Betis on Saturday, when Atletico beat Athletic Bilbao 1-0 at home.

“Very happy with the match we played,” Araujo said. “It was important to win and become leaders again. It was a great effort by the team.”

Sociedad played a man down from the 17th minute after Aritz Elustondo was sent off with a straight red card for grabbing Barcelona forward Dani Olmo to stop a breakaway.

“It was a clear red card,” Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil said. “After that there was no game. It’s already hard 11 against 11 against them, you can imagine with a man down.”

Barcelona’s Marc Casado, second from left, is congratulated after scoring his side’s 2nd goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

It was the sixth win in a row for Barcelona in the league, and the second loss in three matches for Sociedad, which stayed in ninth place.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick rested some regular starters ahead of the team’s Champions League match at Benfica on Wednesday in the first leg of the round of 16.

Prolific Lewandowski

Barcelona was in control from the start at Montjuic stadium, with Martín scoring in the 25th and Casadó in the 29th. Araujo added to the lead in the 56th and Lewandowski closed the scoring in the 60th for his eighth goal in his last nine matches.

Lewandowski now has 34 goals this season in all competitions, one more than the 33 he scored in what had been his previous best season with the Catalan club in 2022-23.

Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo, left, and Real Sociedad’s Jon Martin jump for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Sociedad, which along with Barcelona, Madrid and Atletico is playing in the Copa del Rey semifinals, struggled from the start and had no attempts on goal. Barcelona had 33 total attempts.

Sociedad defender Hamari Traoré entered the match in the second half to mark his return to action nearly six months after having to undergo knee surgery.

Earlier Sunday, striker Diego García scored two minutes into second-half stoppage time to give 16th-placed Leganes a 1-0 win over 14th-placed Getafe in a match between teams from the Madrid area.

Valencia later Sunday has a chance to move out of the relegation zone with a win at Osasuna.

Barcelona’s Marc Casado, front, celebrates scoring his side’s 2nd goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona’s Marc Casado, front, celebrates scoring his side’s 2nd goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona’s Gerard Martin, right, is congratulated after scoring his side’s opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski (9) is challenged by Real Sociedad’s Igor Zubeldia during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Referee Alejandro Quintero Gonzalez shows a red card to Real Sociedad’s Aritz Elustondo (6) as Barcelona’s Dani Olmo lies on the pitch during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, left, dribbles the ball challenged by Real Sociedad’s Javi Lopez during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo celebrates scoring his side’s 3rd goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona’s Raphinha, right, passes the ball challenged by Real Sociedad’s Jon Aramburu during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Real Sociedad at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles