Yamal chips in with winning assist — one minute after return

Lamine Yamal needed only a minute to make an impact in his return to action after an injury.

Yamal came off the bench in the second half and set up Robert Lewandowski's 59th-minute go-ahead goal in Barcelona's 2-1 win against Real Sociedad in the Spanish league on Sunday.

The fifth win in a row for the Catalan club across all competitions moved Barcelona to the top of the Spanish league, one point ahead of Real Madrid, which was crushed 5-2 by Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

Barcelona has scored at least a goal in 44 consecutive games across all competitions, equaling a run that the club last achieved in the 1940s. The current streak began in late 2024 after a 1-0 league defeat at Leganes.

"I am very proud," Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said. "I think this victory will really help us keep improving."

Yamal came into the match in the 58th minute to replace Roony Bardghji and make his first appearance after missing four matches because of a groin injury sustained while playing for Spain's national team during the international break.

"It's very good to have him back," Flick said.

Yamal also had a goal disallowed for offside in the 74th, and nearly set up another Lewandowski goal in the 84th, when the Poland striker was denied by the crossbar.

Before the match, Yamal presented to fans his Ballon d'Or Kopa award for best young player of the year.

"Very happy that he is back playing again," Barcelona defender Jules Kounde said of Yamal. "We are going to need him."

Flick also handed a debut to another teen prospect, 17-year-old Pedro Fernandez, who started in midfield.

Barcelona still hasn't been issued a permit to return to the renovated Camp Nou, so it was back at Montjuic Stadium after playing its first two home matches in the Spanish league at a 6,000-capacity venue at its training facility.

The club will also host Paris Saint-Germain at Montjuic on Wednesday in its first home Champions League game.

Sociedad opened the scoring with a close-range shot by Alvaro Odriozola following a breakaway in the 31st minute in what was Sociedad's only attempt on target in the first half. Kounde equalized for Barcelona with a header off a corner kick in the 43rd.

Sociedad midfielder Takefusa Kubo hit the post in the 72nd and 84th minutes.

Agencies via Xinhua