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MADRID, Jan. 14-- FC Barcelona retained both their 9-point lead at the top of the Liga Santander and their unbeaten record in the first half of the season as they came back from 2-0 down to win 4-2 away to Real Sociedad on Sunday night. Real Sociedad produced some of their best football of the campaign to go ahead through Willian Jose and Juanmi as Barca struggled to put anything together in midfield. However, Paulinho's eighth goal of the campaign gave Barca a lifeline before the break and it was a totally changed Barca who went out for the second half. Two more goals from Luis Suarez turned the game around and a late strike from Leo Messi put the icing on the cake for Ernesto Valverdes side. Barca are 9 points ahead of Atletico Madrid, 11 ahead of Valencia and a staggering 19 up on Real Madrid as the season reaches its midway point. A late goal from Villarreal midfielder, Pablo Fornals saw Real Madrid slip ever deeper into crisis as they were beaten 1-0 at home to Villarreal on Saturday. Villarreal had never won in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium before Fornal' 87th minute chip over Keylor Navas gave them three points which put them just one point behind Zidane's men. Real Madrid had 28 shots in the game, with Cristiano Ronaldo having 11, but they were unable to find a way past Sergio Asenjo in the Villarreal goal and with the side giving everything in the closing minutes in an attempt to find a winning goal, they were caught by a sucker punch on the break to leave Zidane's future very much in doubt. | 
