Barcelona edges past Leganes thanks to own goal

FC Barcelona narrowly avoided dropping points on Saturday with a hard-fought 1-0 win away at struggling Leganés. An own goal early in the second half proved to be the difference, keeping the Catalans firmly in control at the top of the La Liga table as the title race heats up.

Not pretty, but effective

Fresh off a commanding 4-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League midweek, Barcelona came into the match as clear favorites. However, against 19th-placed Leganés, Hansi Flick's side found it far more difficult to impose themselves. Despite dominating possession, Barça lacked sharpness in the final third throughout the first half. The breakthrough came just after the break — and it came from the hosts themselves. In the 48th minute, Raphinha whipped in a low cross from the left, and Leganés defender Jorge Sáenz inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.

Leganés shows fight, but Barça holds on

The own goal gave Barcelona a much-needed lead, but the rest of the match remained tense. Fermín López had a golden chance to double the advantage but failed to convert. Leganés, fighting to avoid relegation, thought they had found the equalizer midway through the second half, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Despite the late pressure from the home side, Barcelona held firm and secured three vital points in the title race.

Eyes on the title

With the win, Barcelona now sits on 70 points after 31 matches. Real Madrid trails by seven points but has played one game fewer and will face Alavés on Sunday. The result keeps Barcelona in the driver’s seat for their 28th league title, though they remain behind rivals Real Madrid in terms of total championships (34). For Leganés, the loss is another blow in a difficult season. Still stuck in 19th place, their hopes of survival are fading with just seven matches to go.

What’s next?

Barcelona will look to build on this narrow win and keep momentum going as the La Liga campaign enters its final stretch. With both domestic and European silverware in sight, Flick's squad must balance grinding out results with the need to stay sharp for decisive matches ahead.