Barca’s disputed draw adds fuel to season’s first “El clasico” mid-week

MADRID: Barcelona’s last match before the “clasico” against Real Madrid ended with the Catalan club claiming it should have been awarded a late penalty in a 2-2 draw against Real Sociedad on Saturday.

The dropped points could cost Barcelona the Spanish league lead as it gives Madrid a chance to go into Wednesday’s match at Camp Nou Stadium with a twopoint lead—if they beat Valencia on Sunday.

Barcelona were expected to file a formal complaint to the federation over the incident. Real Sociedad defender Diego Llorente appeared to pull down Gerard Piqué by his jersey in stoppage time, but the referee—and video review—didn’t make the call. Real Sociedad’s first goal came on a penalty awarded in a similar situation, as Sergio Busquets grabbed Lllorente’s jersey in the box. “The one on Gerard was clearer than mine,” Busquets said. “If the referee saw the first one, he had to see that one as well. He saw it, but didn’t want to make the call.”

Spanish powerhouses Madrid and Barcelona will meet for the first time this season in a match postponed from October because of a separatist rally in the Catalan capital. “We don’t know whether we will still be leaders or not, that’s out of our hands now,” Busquets said.

“But we will enter the match with good momentum. We have been improving and we’ll be playing at home.”

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde didn’t rest any of his top players, using Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Antoine Griezmann in the attack.