Barcelona 2-1 Real Sociedad: 5 Talking Points

#1 Lenglet gets his first Barca goal, continues to shine

Lenglet watches on as his well-timed header beats Rulli to break the deadlock

A lot has been said about Clement Lenglet this season. Having arrived from Sevilla for £30m last summer, his arrival coincided with Samuel Umtiti's injury struggles - so he'd initially be a convenient replacement for his compatriot. Since then, his dependable performances at the back ensured he earned a regular starting berth alongside Gerard Pique.

Now though, critics are appreciating his newfound status: he's not a rotation player nor competition for Umtiti, but instead has already shown the capability to be a long-term success with Barca going forward.

His transfer value continues to rise and why would it not? At 23, Lenglet is establishing himself as one of Europe's best defenders in an ever-improving Barcelona side, one that have notoriously been seen to have a porous backline. With players like himself and Umtiti at the heart of the defence, they're proving the stereotype to be outdated.

After almost a full season getting accustomed to life with the defending champions, it seemed only natural that he finally scored his first goal under Valverde's watch in another display where he let his defensive work do the talking. He showed great anticipation and timing to meet Ousmane Dembele's corner delivery, leaping above the challenge of two defenders to head beyond Geronimo Rulli into the far corner with aplomb.

A game-high five aerial duels won, six clearances, four interceptions, one tackle, no fouls committed to accompany a game-high 96% pass accuracy and first Barcelona goal? Long may the Frenchman's progression continue!

Stats' source: WhoScored