FC Barcelona's impressive 11-game winning streak across all competitions concluded with a contentious 2-1 defeat against Real Sociedad on Sunday, January 19, 2026. The pivotal La Liga match, played at the Reale Arena, saw Barcelona's interim captain Frenkie de Jong publicly lambast referee Gil Manzano following the final whistle. De Jong expressed intense frustration, stating that players 'can't even talk to the referee' and that Manzano displayed an attitude of superiority, looking at him 'like 'I'm more than you''. The Dutch midfielder also cited a yellow card received for questioning the lack of added stoppage time, calling the situation 'crazy' and 'shameful'. Barcelona's manager, Hansi Flick, echoed his captain's sentiments, agreeing with De Jong's assessment of the referee's conduct and highlighting a 'lack of communication' with Gil Manzano. The match was fraught with controversial decisions that went against Barcelona, including three disallowed goals—two for offside and one for a foul in the buildup—and a penalty call reversed by video review. Adding to their misfortune, Barcelona hit the woodwork five times during the game, preventing them from converting numerous scoring opportunities. Real Sociedad capitalized on their chances, with Mikel Oyarzabal and Gonçalo Guedes scoring for the home side after Marcus Rashford had equalized for Barcelona. This surprising loss has significantly tightened the La Liga title race, reducing Barcelona's lead at the top of the table to a mere single point over rivals Real Madrid.