Joan Laporta admits Barcelona needed 'luck of champions' to beat Real Sociedad
- Barcelona were well below par in their 1-0 win over Real Sociedad
- A late Ronald Araujo goal rescued all three points for Xavi's side
- Laporta admitted Sociedad should have won the game
By Tom Gott
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confessed Real Sociedad deserved to come out on top in Saturday's game, with the Blaugrana needing the "luck of champions" to escape with all three points.
After a bitterly disappointing 90 minutes from Barcelona, Ronald Araujo popped up with a stoppage-time header to steal all three points, masking over what was a thoroughly below-par performance from the reigning La Liga champions.
Indeed, manager Xavi labelled the showing "unacceptable" after the game as a clear sign that he did not feel the victory was merited, and Laporta has followed suit.
In an interaction with Sociedad fans captured by TV3, the Barca president said: "You played much better. You played very well. You even deserved the victory. For us, they were three very important points. That was what they sometimes call 'the luck of champions'."
Xavi had blamed fatigue from the recent defeat to Real Madrid for his side's poor showing, and Araujo also alluded to a sort of Clasico hangover after the game.
"That goal is worth a lot, they are three very important points," he told Movistar. "And even more so after losing the Clasico. It cost us a lot, especially the first half. Then in the second we improved. They found a way out under our pressure, which we worked hard on. It was difficult for us, but there are games that have to be played.
"We wanted to go out in a line of three, but it couldn't be done. Movements that the coach said, we couldn't apply them. Eventually, he corrected us and we were able to improve. A draw could have been fair, they made very clear chances, but this is football."
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