Barcelona ground out a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Thursday to tighten their grip on a top-four finish in La Liga and put the disappointing home loss to lowly Cadiz behind them. Barca climbed to second in the standings, level on points with third-placed Sevilla and 15 behind leaders Real Madrid.

Barca, who have a game in hand, host Rayo Vallecano on Sunday but Real Madrid need only four more points from their last five games to secure the title.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored Barcelona’s winner on 11 minutes after Ousmane Dembele struck the post and Ferran Torres crossed to the Gabon striker who guided home a gentle header from close range.

It was an intense game at a packed Reale Arena in San Sebastian where the hosts wasted several clear opportunities to score and dominated possession.

Barcelona survived the Basque onslaught thanks to misses by Alexander Isak and Alexander Sorloth and to inspired goalkeeping by Marc Andre ter Stegen who made at least three superb saves.

Victory keeps Burnley alive

Burnley piled the pressure back on Everton in the Premier League relegation battle with a 2-0 win over Southampton on Thursday, moving them within a point of Frank Lampard’s side.

The Clarets, who sacked long-serving manager Sean Dyche last week, are in 18th place in the standings on 28 points from 32 games with Everton on 29 points from a game less.

Southampton should have taken an early lead when Oriol Romeu was left unmarked at a corner but his header was off target. (Reuters)