Barcelona surged seven points clear at the summit of LaLiga following a hard-fought 1-0 triumph over relegation-threatened Leganés, extending their unbeaten streak to 24 matches in all competitions (W20, D4).
Coach Borja Jiménez might have felt a tinge of apprehension prior to the match, especially after Barça’s impressive 4-0 rout of Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League last Wednesday. However, his side started strong, pressing their illustrious opponents from the outset.
Leganés nearly took the lead early on, with Dani Raba making a powerful run down the left flank to find former La Masia talent Adrià Altimira, who was thwarted by the agile Wojciech Szczęsny.
As the first half progressed, Barcelona began to assert their dominance, forcing Marko Dmitrović into a splendid save at his near post, deflecting a powerful effort from Jules Koundé.
Further opportunities came for Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Fermín López before the interval, while Alejandro Balde had to leave the field due to injury just before half-time.
The first half had proven to be challenging for Hansi Flick’s men, with Raba once again threatening to change the game with a powerful left-footed shot that went narrowly wide of the target.
El Lega displayed a commendable fighting spirit, but their resilience crumbled in unfortunate circumstances just three minutes into the second half. Jorge Sáenz diverted Raphinha’s cross into his own net as the ball slipped past Dmitrović at the near post.
Fermín had a golden opportunity to double Barcelona’s advantage after showcasing impressive close control in the box but squandered the chance, missing the target with what appeared to be a straightforward finish.
Robert Lewandowski was in pursuit of his 100th goal for Barça and nearly achieved it with a deft header from Raphinha’s delivery that skimmed just past the post.
While this performance was not quite the electrifying display seen from Flick’s side at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys just days prior, the valuable three points now challenge Real Madrid, who are set to face Deportivo Alavés on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Leganés find themselves winless in their last five encounters (D1, L4) and linger in 19th place, two points shy of safety.
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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