A reshuffled Real Sociedad went down to a fourth defeat in their last five matches on Saturday with a 3-2 loss to Sevilla ahead of their Champions League second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
This second consecutive setback in La Liga plunges the Basques into doubt just three days before a key home game against PSG where they hope to turn round a 2-0 first-leg deficit.
The Basques were undone by Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri who bagged a brace in two minutes early in the game before Sergio Ramos got the third on 65 minutes.
An Andre Silva penalty deep into first-half injury time gave the visitors hope but Brais Mendez’s consolation in the second minute of added time was not enough.
Real Sociedad are now seventh on 40 points while Sevilla are 14th on 27.
Kylian Mbappe scored the opener as PSG took a big step towards reaching the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Real Sociedad in the first leg of their last-16 tie two weeks ago.
Later Saturday, La Liga leaders Real Madrid return to Valencia where forward Vinicius Jr was racially abused last season.
Girona travel to Mallorca on Sunday seeking to put their poor recent form firmly behind them and also to enact revenge upon the side that knocked them out of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals in January.
Third-placed Barcelona coach Xavi said Saturday it was now the “moment of truth” for his side who are on a roll of four league wins in five with an away match at Athletic Bilbao in La Liga and a Champions League return game at home to Napoli.
