Jordi Alba felt Barcelona produced their best performance of 2020 in their 2-1 LaLiga victory over Real Sociedad.
The Catalans fell behind to a Willian Jose goal at Camp Nou on Tuesday after dominating the opening 25 minutes without managing a shot on target.
However, they responded well, Alba blasting home a fine equaliser before setting up Frenkie de Jong to make it 2-1 before half-time.
La Real improved after the break, restricting Barca to just 38.6 per cent possession after the hosts had enjoyed two-thirds of the ball in the first half, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen s only save of note came late on when he blocked an effort from Alexander Isak.
Barca, who have beaten Sociedad 23 times in a row in home league games, are now six points off the top of the table thanks to their first back-to-back league victories since October 1.
Alba felt the first half in particular was Barca s strongest showing in 2020, even if he modestly suggested there was an element of luck to his emphatic equaliser.
THREE! HUGE! POINTS!
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
It was the best game of the year, he told Movistar. I m really pleased with the team s attitude and fight. The motivation was big and we keep climbing [the table].
They changed their way of playing. We knew it would be a difficult game against one of the best teams in LaLiga.
I get more joy from giving assists. You score one in a hundred from those types of shots. I was lucky.
We scored soon after they got their goal and the team played a great game. We saw a great Barca, who fought for every ball.
Barca s lead was under threat when Isak raced through on goal only for Pedri to make a crucial challenge, the teenager then colliding heavily with the post for his troubles.
It was a moment that summed up Barca s robustness under pressure in the second half as they inflicted just a second league defeat of the season on Imanol s side.
We knew it was an important game and we went out to give everything, he said.
We were missing a bit of assuredness in front of goal before and we have it now.
