Barcelona secured a crucial 1-0 win over Leganes in La Liga matchday 31, played at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque today. The only goal of the match came in the 48th minute when Jorge Saenz deflected Raphinha’s cross into his own net, giving Barcelona the lead they would hold onto for the rest of the game.
The match saw Leganes create early chances, with Daniel Raba’s driving run ending with a pass to Adria Alti, whose powerful shot was saved by Wojciech Szczesny. However, after the initial scare, Barcelona began to assert their dominance, with Raphinha’s cross ultimately leading to the decisive own goal.
Alejandro Balde suffered an injury near halftime and was replaced by Gerard Martin, which might be a concern for Barcelona’s upcoming matches. Despite this, Barcelona’s defense was solid, led by Jules Kounde, who registered the most touches (105) and accurate passes (69), while winning three of his four tackles. Kounde’s exceptional performance earned him man-of-the-match honors.
Barcelona dominated possession with 66% of the ball, compared to Leganes’ 34%, and outshot Leganes 12-6, with 3 shots on target to Leganes’ 1. This win extends Barcelona’s lead at the top of the La Liga table with 70 points from 31 matches, putting pressure on Real Madrid, who trail by 7 points.
Leganes, on the other hand, remains in the relegation zone with 28 points, two points and two places away from safety. They’ll look to bounce back in their next match against Mallorca in La Liga next Saturday, followed by a match against Girona on April 24.
Barcelona’s upcoming schedule includes a crucial Champions League quarterfinals second leg against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, followed by a league match against Celta Vigo on Saturday. Given Barcelona’s strong away record in La Liga this term, they’ll be confident in securing the win against Celta Vigo.
The win against Leganes was a testament to Barcelona’s determination and skill, and they’ll look to continue their winning streak in the upcoming matches. With their sights set on a treble this campaign, Barcelona will be eager to make the most of their momentum.¹ ²