Barcelona edge Leganes with Own Goal to move seven points Clear in La Liga title race

Barcelona took a crucial step in their La Liga title pursuit with a narrow 1-0 victory over relegation-threatened Leganes on Saturday, thanks to an own goal by Jorge Saenz.

The hard-fought win sees Hansi Flick’s men extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who are scheduled to face Alaves on Sunday.

Despite lacking their usual attacking flair, the Catalan giants showed grit and determination to grind out the three points at Butarque Stadium. Speaking after the match, coach Hansi Flick said, “The fight and the mentality the team showed today was great… three points is good and we had a great week.”

Barcelona, who are chasing a potential quadruple this season, have now gone 24 matches unbeaten in 2025, continuing a remarkable turnaround after losing 1-0 to the same Leganes side at home in December.

Scrappy First Half

Leganes, sitting 19th on the table, came with a defensive setup and managed to frustrate Barcelona in the opening half. Their best chance came when Dani Raba broke free and squared the ball to Adria Altimira, whose shot was well saved by Barca’s veteran goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Barcelona, on the other hand, struggled to create real danger. A deflected effort from Jules Kounde was the closest they came before half-time, while young defender Alejandro Balde had to be taken off due to a suspected muscular injury.

Turning Point

Flick introduced Frenkie de Jong at the break, reshuffling the defence by dropping Eric Garcia back. The adjustment paid off quickly, as a low cross from Raphinha in the 49th minute forced Saenz into an own goal, with Robert Lewandowski waiting behind him to pounce.

The goal opened the game slightly, and Barcelona began to threaten more. Fermin Lopez missed a golden opportunity to double the lead, while Lewandowski and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal also came close.

Leganes thought they had equalised when Raba headed home, but the effort was ruled offside. Moments later, Diego Garcia missed another chance to level for the home side.

Last-Minute Heroics

In stoppage time, former Barca striker Munir El Haddadi nearly broke through for Leganes, but a perfectly timed tackle from Inigo Martinez preserved the win. “The last save by Martinez was unbelievable,” Flick said. “Everyone celebrated this as if it was a goal.”

Post-Match Reactions

Despite the loss, Leganes midfielder Renato Tapia expressed pride in his team’s performance. “It’s so tough… we leave with empty hands against a Barca that were not as efficient as usual. But we put in a great performance. We can do it (stay up), and I think today we showed it,” he told DAZN.

With the win, Barcelona continue to hold firm at the summit of La Liga as the title race intensifies.