Kathmandu: Barcelona have made a good start to the new season by beating Real Sociedad in the first game of Spanish La Liga since Lionel Messi left the club.
Martin Braithwaite’s two goals helped Barcelona beat Sociedad 4-2 on Sunday night.
Gerard Pique and Sergei Roberto scored one goal each for Barcelona.
In the 19th minute of the game at the home ground Camp Nou, Pique scored on a pass from Memphis Depa to give Barcelona the lead. Braithwaite doubled Barcelona’s lead with a goal in the injury time of the first half.
Braithwaite scored his second individual goal in the 59th minute to give Barcelona a 3-0 lead.
Sociedad then put Barcelona under pressure, returning two goals three minutes apart. Eulen Lobete scored in the 82nd minute and Miket Oyazbal in the 85th minute.
But Sergei Roberto, who came on as a substitute, scored in the first minute of injury time to give Barcelona a 4-2 victory.
After 17 years, Barcelona has played in the league without Lionel Messi.