Sociedad retake top spot despite Eibar draw

Madrid (AFP) – Real Sociedad moved back to the top of La Liga on Sunday despite only managing a 1-1 home draw with Eibar in San Sebastian.

The Basque club are level with Atletico Madrid on 26 points after the capital club fell to a 2-0 defeat to local rivals Real Madrid on Saturday evening.

Ander Barrenetxea gave the hosts the lead with a thumping strike in the 20th minute, but Sergi Enrich turned home with 25 minutes remaining to send his team seventh on 15 points.

Sociedad would have had a bigger gap between them and Atletico had Igor Zubeldia’s 80th-minute tap-in not been ruled out by VAR for an extremely tight offside.

Sunday’s draw was Sociedad’s sixth is as many games in all competitions, and came after another 1-1 draw at Napoli on Thursday which saw them squeeze into the last 32 of the Europa League.

Atletico however have two games in hand on Sociedad while Real Madrid, who are now just three points behind the leaders, have played one less.

Villarreal can move back into third place with a win at mid-table side Real Betis. 

Barcelona meanwhile will kick off Sunday’s late match against Levante in 10th place, just three points above their opponents who are in the relegation zone.

Ronald Koeman’s troubled side have three games in hand on Sociedad but are coming into their match at the Camp Nou off a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Juventus in the Champions League.