MADRID:  Barcelona can be beaten, after all, and Real Sociedad of San Sebastian have proved the point by hitting back from two goals down to beat the hitherto unbeateben Spanish league leaders 3-2.

Barcelona  finished with 10 men after having Gerard Pique sent off early in the second half.

Lionel Messi and Pedro gave Barca an early lead. Messi’s goal, his 10th in 10 consecutive league games and 29th in all this term, matched the La Liga record set by fellow Barca players Mariano Martin in 1942-43 campaign and Brazil’s Ronaldo in 1996-97.

Gonzalo Castro pulled one back for the hosts four minutes before halftime and he levelled the scores, soon after Pique had picked up a second yellow card in the 56th minute, with a shot that deflected off Javier Mascherano. Imanol Agirretxe grabbed the stoppage-time winner from close range.

Previously Barcelona had only points only in a 2-2 draw at home to champions Real Madrid.

In Germany champions Bayern Munich celebrated the prospective summer arrival of Pep Guardiola as coach by defeating bottom club Greuther Fuerth 2-0 with goals from Mario Mandzukic. Bayern lead the Bundesliga by nine points. Champions Borussia Dortmund, in third place, thrashed hosts Werder Bremen 5-0.

In Italy Lazio missed the chance to draw level with Juventus at the top of Serie A when they had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Palermo thanks to a late Hernanes penalty.

# # # #