Real Madrid 0-0 Real Sociedad: Los Blancos fall further behind in the title race

Real Sociedad confirmed its status as the new third force in Spanish football by taking a point from the Santiago Bernabéu in an exciting draw with Real Madrid.

Don’t be fooled by 0-0, there are goalless draws where neither team deserves a point, and then there are others where both teams deserve three.

Nothing stopped as both teams did their best to pick up the three points that would allow them to close the gap on Barcelona on top, but neither made it.

Real Sociedad started brazenly and Alexander Sorloth was about to convert a cross from Aihen Muñoz. But it didn’t take long for the beast to move and Madrid was on the rise before the break.

Their three forwards were unplayable at times with Brazilians Rodrygo and Vinicius mesmerizing either side of Karim Benzema. Vincius had chances either side of halftime, first after Brais Mendes gave away the ball and Benzema set it up only for Alex Remiro to save. Then, at the restart, Remiro saved Vincius again after another combination with the Frenchman.

They weren’t just the three Real Madrid forwards. Behind them, Fede Valverde looked back on his prime after his post-World Cup slump, and Dani Ceballos was inspired to justify picking ahead of Luka Modric.

Valverde assisted Rodrygo ten minutes into the second half but his shot was deflected for a corner. Eder Militao was involved in the build-up to the opportunity and underlined how the threat to Real Sociedad came from all angles: Eduardo Camavinga also flew forward at every opportunity from left-back.

The visitors held admirably at the back and posed an increasing threat at the other end with Thibaut Courtois having to go down well to block Take Kubo’s shot from close range into the legs of Antonio Rudiger. Kubo slid over the keeper moments later and by his boot-to-face follow through on the Belgian he was booked. There were matches within the party itself and this epic battle was now where Real Sociedad wanted it.

Kubo was the main tormentor as he passed Camavinga from the baseline and his cross to Robert Navarro, whose shot was saved. Having seen his counterpart keep the game 0-0, Real Sociedad goalkeeper Remiro deflected Vinicius’s lob with a brilliant save, but this was turning into Kubo’s show and he first appeared on the left flank to force Another Courtois stop. , and then to the right back to rob Vinicius.

Real Sociedad were forced to bring in children in the second half with 19-year-old Pablo Marín and 22-year-old Jon Ander Olasagasti.

Carlo Ancelotti was able to call on Luka Modric and Marco Asensio as Real Madrid tried to get back on top.

The tension reached the usually calm Imanol Alguacil and when he grabbed the ball and held it to prevent Camavinga from taking a quick launch he was booked. Madrid usually has six gears for these matches: five for ninety minutes and a sixth for added time, and now they were threatened to find that higher gear. Camavinga’s center from the end line but no Real Madrid attacker could reach the center.

Real Sociedad was also strong until the end. Another late shot from the marathoner Kubo and Courtois made another save to push the ball wide for a corner in the 95th minute that came to nothing. And when the added five minutes became six, another corner came for those of Alguacil. Kubo took it, went long and the whistle was blown in a titanic battle in which both sides did enough to win but after which leaders Barcelona will feel like the sole winner.