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Barcelona ended their 10-year long Anoeta Stadium hoodoo in the league with a spectacular 4-2 comeback victory over Real Sociedad to go 19 points clear of arch-rivals Real Madrid.
Willian Jose and Juanmi struck a goal apiece to put the hosts 2-0 up with just over half an hour gone, but Paulinho halved the deficit before the break. A brilliant brace from Luis Suarez post the interval put the Blaugrana in the driving seat, before Lionel Messi wrapped up the proceedings with an amazing free-kick to surpass Gerd Muller with 366th league goal.
The victory was their first at San Sebastian in nearly 11 years, as Ernesto Valverde's side continue to inch closer to the title. With that being said, let's delve into some of the major talking points from a rainy night in Basque Country:
#5 The writing wasn't on the wall for once for Barcelona
Given Barcelona's terrible record away at San Sebastian, many critics would've expected them to drop points here. Or even go down to a defeat for the first time this season. But the fact of the matter is, for the first time in several years, Barcelona were in a great position to break the niggling jinx. And they did so with aplomb.
Even though the warning signs were there when La Real raced 2-0 ahead, the Catalan's rich vein of form coupled with a winning mentality this season meant the writing wasn't on the wall for once. They were always going to win this and the scoreline was merely a foregone conclusion.
The Blaugrana have been a different beast under Valverde, executing a new brand of football as the situation demands. After the comprehensive Copa del Rey victory just a few days earlier, the Catalan giants continued being the hard-hitting side we're so accustomed to as Sociedad were well beaten in the second half.
#4 Real Sociedad receded after a spirited start
Real Sociedad held the psychological advantage at the kick-off, being unbeaten against the Catalans in 10 league matches and looked to exploit the same as the hosts started on the front foot. The high-pressing during the initial proceedings threw Barcelona in a tizzy and the 2-0 deficit was a testament to that.
The Royals seemed like they were edging closer to another Barca scalp after Juanmi's attempt, but alas, little did they know what was going to hit them in the second half.
Sociedad didn't just let slip their grasp from the tie, but were completely overpowered and had no response whatsoever. The sprightly attack of the first 35 minutes now appeared spent, whereas the defence was belted black and blue.
#3 Luis Suarez is peaking at the right time
For all the cacophony of a decline following Neymar's departure, Luis Suarez is hitting the throttle and it couldn't have come at a better time. The Uruguayan has struck eight times in the last six games, scoring in each of them to suggest a return to form after an initial dry spell.
He was all charged up for another daunting tie, and after struggling to assert himself onto the match early on, outfoxed the Sociedad defense to lay a simple finish for Paulinho.
The former Liverpool hitman then cranked up the pressure with a brace in the second-half, the first of which was an absolute delight as Suarez engineered the comeback with still over quarter an hour to go. He now has 13 goals to his name after bagging just three in the first 11 games.
As Barcelona amble into the second-half of the season and with all three title prospects still very much alive, things are going to get murkier soon and the Uruguayan's timely return to form is a major boost.
#2 Willian Jose seems to be enjoying the time of his life
Even though he ended up on the losing side today, Willian Jose ensured that he didn't go down without a fight. Or rather, without a goal, as the former Real Madrid player bagged another one on the night to continue his impressive form.
Cleverly reading Xabi Prieto's run, Jose scampered into the box and lunged himself into a dive to head home the opener, easily beating his opposite number as the hosts lead early in the game once again. The header, a difficult one to dispatch, was his seventh strike of the season in the league and took his overall tally to 12 in all competitions.
Having bombed at Real Madrid, but impressed in short spells at Zaragoza and Las Palmas, Willian Jose is turning into the player he promised upon arriving from Brazil in 2014. It has been a long time coming, but it was worth the struggle for the 26-year old.
#1 History is chaffed once again by Lionel Messi
Uff, that man again!
With another emphatic free-kick in the dying embers, the Argentine now moves beyond Gerd Muller with 366 league goals for Barcelona, the highest a player has ever scored for one single club. Now that's another piece of history rewritten by the genius that is Lionel Messi.
Once again unstoppable in the second-half filibuster, the Barcelona ace punched holes in the Sociedad defence with a total of five shots and as many take-ons. He also created a chance and maintained 87% passing rate, but the free-kick towards the end takes the cake.
Messi curled another outrageous set-piece with utmost nonchalance to not only consolidate the victory, but to also leave another mark in the history books.
