Barcelona Secures Narrow Victory Over Leganes with Own Goal

Barcelona achieved a crucial 1-0 win against Leganes in a challenging match held in Spain, which allowed them to increase their lead at the top of the LaLiga table to seven points. The victory, secured by an unfortunate own goal from Leganes' Jorge Saenz, marked the 12th consecutive match without defeat for the Catalan club.

Barcelona's head coach, Hansi Flick, expressed pride in the team’s performance over recent weeks, acknowledging the difficulties faced during the match and emphasizing the importance of securing three points. Flick highlighted the need for ongoing improvements in both defensive and offensive strategies, but he was ultimately satisfied with the outcome.

The first half presented a tense atmosphere, where Leganes nearly took the lead when Dani Raba set up Adria Altimira, but Barcelona's goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was quick to make the save. Barcelona had their own attempts, with Jules Kounde forcing a play that ended without scoring as he shot wide.

The turning point came in the second half when Raphinha's cross intended for Robert Lewandowski was accidentally diverted into the net by Saenz, putting Barcelona ahead. Lewandowski, eager for his milestone 100th goal, later missed another chance with a header that went off-target before being substituted for Ferran Torres.

Leganes came close to equalizing when Raba scored a header from Altimira's cross, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Barcelona continued to threaten, with Lamine Yamal failing to capitalize on a chance set up by Torres. Leganes pressed hard for an equalizer, with their best attempt being a long-range shot from Diego Garcia that went wide.

With this victory, Barcelona remains unbeaten in 24 matches across all competitions and is set to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-finals next, following a sizable first-leg win. Additionally, they will host Celta Vigo in their upcoming LaLiga fixture. Meanwhile, Leganes remains in precarious relegation territory, sitting second from the bottom with 28 points, just two points away from safety.