Football news - Frustrated Messi the difference as penalty sees off Sociedad

Quique Setien’s side came into the game on the back of last weekend’s Clasico defeat to Real Madrid, but three points against La Real sends Barcelona back to the top of the table until Zinedine Zidane’s men face Real Betis on Sunday evening.

The visitors held their own for the majority of the match and had a number of chances through Alexander Isak and Ander Barrenetxea before VAR was used to award Barca a penalty kick for a dubious handball by Robin Le Normand. Messi stepped up to cooly convert from 12 yards out.

Barcelona looked to have doubled their advantage late on with Ansu Fati squaring for Jordi Alba to finish from close range, but this time VAR was used to chalk off a goal, with the teenager offside when the pass was played forward.

On the face of things, Messi’s form is no cause for concern. The Argentine has scored five times in his last four appearances and made the difference here, earning Barcelona a win from the penalty spot. But that doesn’t quite tell the full story. This was another peculiar display from Messi. Something isn’t quite right with him at the moment, even if he was able to find the back of the net.

On another day, Real Sociedad would have left Camp Nou with a point, or maybe even all three, to show for their impressive performance. Gerard Pique was a big reason why they weren’t able to pull that off, with the Barcelona centre back making a number of big tackles and interventions to stop the visitors from finding the back of the net. Clement Lenglet and Martin Braithwaite also impressed for the home side.

Barcelona - Ter Stegen 6, Semedo 5, Pique 8, Lenglet 7, Alba 6, Rakitic 5, Busquets 7, De Jong 6, Braithwaite 7, Messi 6, Griezmann 4. Subs - Vidal 5, Firpo 4, Ansu 6.

Real Sociedad - Remiro 7, Gorosabel 6, Llorente 6, Le Normand 5, Monreal 6, Guevara 5, Odegaard 7, Merino 7, Portu 6, Isak 6, Barrenetxea 5. Subs - Oyarzabal 7, Zubeldia 5, Jose 4.

30’ Remiro saves from Messi! The Barcelona number 10 chases down a ball and wins it on the left side. He then drives into the middle and draws the save from the Sociedad goalkeeper at the near post.

40’ MESSI... just wide! That should have been the opening goal for Barcelona. Braithwaite's touch sets up de Jong who then feeds Messi, but the Barca number 10 side-foots wide of the near post. What an opportunity!

70’ What a save! Barcelona had the ball on the edge of the box, Griezmann gets it out to Rakitic with a flick, but the Croatian midfielder's shot is saved magnificently at the near post by Remiro! Excellent stop!

72’ Right across the face! There was nobody in the middle to convert Alba's cross into the six yard box! For the first time in the match it feels like Barcelona are starting to turn the screw on Real Sociedad in their search for a breakthrough.

79' VAR check! The referee has come across to the VAR monitor on the touchline to take a look at a potential handball by Le Normand. Did that strike the shoulder of the Sociedad player? Looked like it.

80’ PENALTY KICK TO BARCELONA! Wow! The referee has decided that it was a handball by Le Normand and he points to the spot!

81’ GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Real Sociedad: Messi steps up to the 12-yard mark and finds the back of the net with a calm penalty kick! Barcelona have been let off the hook a little bit here. This goal has come just at the moment Real Sociedad looked to be pressing for a winner.

95’ GOAL! Barcelona 2-0 Real Sociedad: There’s the finishing touch on the win for the Catalans! Messi played the ball through to Ansu, he cuts back inside and plays the pass across goal for Alba and the Barcelona left back slams the finish into the back of the empty net! Excellent goal!

96’ GOAL RULED OUT! The VAR is used to rule out that goal. Ansu was offside when the pass was played by Messi and the final whistle blows moments later.

Lionel Messi is now the all-time top-scorer in the top five European leagues (438 goals in 474 appearances), surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 437 goals in 540 appearances.

Messi was booked for the third successive game for the first time in his Barcelona career.