Leaders Barcelona suffered their first defeat in La Liga this season when Real Sociedad stormed back from two goals down and made the most of a red card for Gerard Pique to record a 3-2 home win on Saturday.

Imanol Agirretxe stunned the visitors by sliding in to grab a last-gasp winner after a double from Gonzalo Castro, who scored either side of halftime, helped cancel out early goals for the visitors from Lionel Messi and Pedro.

A full-strength Barcelona had dominated the first half, but Pique's second yellow card in the 56th minute came when Sociedad were in the ascendancy, and the hosts were eventually rewarded for their endeavor in time added on.

Barcelona went into the game having set a new record for a La Liga start with 18 wins - and just one draw at home against Real Madrid in October - for 55 points from a possible 57.

Messi had already fired wide in a one-on-one with the keeper when he stroked in his 29th league goal this season from the edge of the area in the seventh minute.

Messi has now scored in 10 consecutive league games to match the La Liga record set by fellow Barcelona players Mariano Martin in the 1942-43 campaign and Brazil's Ronaldo in 1996-97.

Pedro lashed a shot against the post and in the 18th minute the referee had to stop the match and ask both captains if they were happy to continue after a partial floodlight failure.

The game resumed and Dani Alves crossed low for Pedro to slide in and notch Barcelona's second in the 25th before a Messi lob bounced against the post and was cleared from the goalmouth.

The pressure Sociedad put on Barcelona started to unsettle the visitors before the break when Castro fired low into the far corner after 40 minutes.

The game was blown wide open when Pique collected his second yellow card.

Barcelona were struggling to break out of their own half and after failing to clear a corner Castro's shot deflected off substitute Javier Mascherano and past Victor Valdes in the 62nd.

Barcelona appeared to have weathered the storm as they took control of possession, but the outstanding Carlos Martinez swung in a teasing cross at the end, and Agirretxe got between the central defenders to poke in the decider.

Reuters - Global Times