MADRID — After producing a sensational comeback from two goals down to beat Real Sociedad 4-2 Sunday, Barcelona sits nine points clear at the top of La Liga and everything in its garden looks rosy again.

Back in August, after a humiliating 5-1 defeat by Real Madrid over two legs in the Spanish Super Cup, that situation was unthinkable.

The Catalans had lost Brazilian forward Neymar to Paris St Germain and failed to sign its top summer target Philippe Coutinho.

The former Liverpool playmaker is now a Barcelona player, however, and on the field things have improved massively.

Ernesto Valverde’s Barcelona are unbeaten in 29 games, although at two goals down against Sociedad at Anoeta, a ground where they had not won in La Liga since 2007, it seemed their streak would end.

Barcelona has become a side who can win in different ways, with the stunning football produced in the 5-0 win over Celta Vigo in the King’s Cup Thursday replaced by something more pragmatic at Sociedad.

Barcelona’s arch-rival Real Madrid is fourth, 19 points behind, and now it is more concerned about second-placed Atletico and Valencia in third.

PSG extends Ligue 1 lead

Paris St Germain’s march toward a fifth Ligue 1 title in six years continued Sunday when Angel Di Maria gave it a 1-0 victory at Nantes to extend its lead to 11 points.

Argentine winger Di Maria scored before the break to lift PSG, which was without the injured Neymar and Thiago Motta, on to 53 points from 20 games.

Monaco is second on 42 points after a goalless draw at Montpellier Saturday with third-placed Olympique Lyonnais behind on goal difference after a 1-1 home draw against Angers.

Claudio Ranieri’s Nantes, which finished with 10 men against PSG after Diego Carlos received a second yellow card in the last minute, stayed fifth on 33 points.

Earlier, Lyon’s Nabil Fekir canceled out Karl Toko Ekambi’s opener from the spot for Angers as the host missed out on the opportunity to take second place.

Angers finished with 10 men when Flavien Tait was sent off for a second bookable offence six minutes from time.

Angers took the lead in the 14th minute when Toko Ekambi wrong-footed Anthony Lopes from the penalty spot after Angelo Fulgini had been fouled in the box.

Lyon equalized two minutes into the second half as Fekir found the back of the net with a fine curled shot from Maxwel Cornet’s cross.

The home side had the best chance to add another goal in the 70th minute when Memphis Depay beat Ludovic Butelle with a header, only for defender Romain Thomas to clear the ball off the line. — Agencies