Pedri 6.0, De Jong 5.0 | Real Sociedad 1-0 Barcelona: Player ratings | OneFootball

A below-par FC Barcelona team has succumbed to a defeat at the hands of Real Sociedad. Over at the Reale Arena, the Catalan giants were left helpless as a superb performance from the opposition saw them be completely nullified. Unfortunately for Barcelona, this does leave a sour taste before the start of the international break.

A 1-0 defeat at the hands of La Real now sees Barcelona maintain their six point lead at the top of the table but with Real Madrid having a game in hand to reduce that difference down to three points. However, even without Lamine Yamal, this team should have done much better against their latest opponents.

Here are the player ratings for FC Barcelona.

Player Ratings:

Inaki Pena: 8.0

Despite not having the best performance in terms of his ball-playing, Inaki Pena was superb for much of the game in terms of the saves he made. Had it not been for some of his heroics, the scoreline would have looked much worse than it actually ended up being.

Jules Kounde: 5.0

Offensively stumped and restricted by the Real Sociedad players, and was defensively exploited by them on counter attacks as well. A rather forgettable outing for the French defender.

Pau Cubarsi: 6.5

Despite having to wear a special protective mask for this game, the young Spaniard had a solid outing for much of the game. However, he was visibly not at his best and was not as in control of the game as he typically is.

Inigo Martinez: 8.5

From the first minute to the last, Inigo Martinez gave his all to help Barcelona stay in this game. The Spaniard, despite the boos from the La Real fans, maintained his composure and was a true guardian for Barça at the back. Made some crucial interceptions and blocks as well.

Alejandro Balde: 6.0

Was frustrating to watch at times, especially when he began focusing too much on complaining and less on actively marking his man or tracking back. Another forgettable performance.

Marc Casado: 6.5

Put his body on the line for Barcelona but unfortunately his inexperience also showed through in this game as the youngster rushed some of his decisions.

Frenkie de Jong: 5.0

Hardly a game to remember for the Dutchman, as he was less than ideal in the first half of the game. Constantly seemed to be physically compromised whenever a challenge came his way and even when he was not down on the ground, his progressive skills and awareness seemed slow today.

Raphinha: 7.0

For much of the first half, Raphinha was barely noticeable on the pitch and did not have any significant impact. Was much more active in the second half and that ended up being a direct result of him being shifted to the right side of the attack.

Pedri: 6.0

Not a great showing from the Spanish midfielder in the first half, especially when it came to his final decision-making. Slightly improved in the second half after being positioned deeper on the field, but overall a performance that left Barcelona fans wanting more.

Fermin Lopez: 4.5

Arguably the least effective player on the pitch in his respective position, Hansi Flick’s decision to field Fermin Lopez as a wide player ended up proving to be rather fruitless. His positioning was often poor and even when he had the ball he did not link up well with his teammates.

Robert Lewandowski: 7.0

Had an early goal arguably ruled out unfairly, but was decent in terms of his hold-up play. Unfortunately, however, the Polish ace was unable to make the kind of difference that he would have normally hoped for in this game.

Substitutes:

Dani Olmo: 7.0

Brought a new spark to the Barcelona attack and may have been the right pick for Hansi Flick if he had started the game rather than come off the bench.

Ansu Fati: 6.0

Decent cameo and was much more effective than Fermin Lopez.

Gavi: N/A

Not enough time or influence on the game to warrant a rating.

Pau Victor: N/A

Not enough time or influence on the game to warrant a rating.