Pedro scored a fantastic bicycle kick as Barcelona beat David Moyes’s Real Sociedad to keep the La Liga title race in their own hands.<\/p>\n
Barca went five points clear, for two hours at least, with Real Madrid hosting Valencia at 19:00 BST.<\/p>\n
After a frustrating first half, Neymar headed home Lionel Messi’s cross to give Barca the lead.<\/p>\n
And substitute Pedro wrapped it up late on with a brilliant acrobatic effort from the penalty spot.<\/p>\n
This round of La Liga games is the last before a suspension of football in Spain starts in an argument over television rights.<\/p>\n
If a solution is found and the season can continue, Barcelona need only to win their final two games – against champions Atletico Madrid and Deportivo La Coruna.<\/p>\n
However, a draw would let Real Madrid back into the race as the Spanish league goes down to head-to-head and not goal difference, and Real have that advantage over Barca, who have now kept seven consecutive clean sheets.<\/p>\n
In the reverse meeting in January, Moyes led La Real to a famous winbut, with the club safely at mid-table, they had little to play for at the Nou Camp.<\/p>\n
Barca boss Luis Enrique made changes with Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona in mind, following their 3-0 first-leg success.<\/p>\n
Xavi, Adriano, Marc Bartra and Rafinha all came in but they still dominated from the start with Geronimo Rulli denying a Messi header and Luis Suarez heading wide.<\/p>\n
The Real keeper then denied Gerard Pique with a good save, with the defender putting the rebound wide with an overhead kick.<\/p>\n
Barcelona kept up the pressure in the second half, and finally led when Real defender Mikel Gonzalez headed Messi’s right-wing cross towards Neymar, who converted from close range.<\/p>\n
The game was sealed when Pedro, only on the pitch for three minutes, scored a stunning overhead kick as a deflection looped in the air to him.<\/p>\n
Barca are chasing a treble, with a Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, 30 May – subject to football remaining suspended in Spain.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC Sport<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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