Robert Lewandowski’s penalty sends Barcelona to the highest of LaLiga with a 1-0 win in opposition to Rayo Vallecano.
Barcelona returned to the highest of the Spanish league on objective distinction after Robert Lewandowski’s first-half penalty secured a 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano.
The Catalan membership took benefit of weekend slip-ups by Actual Madrid and Atlético Madrid to maneuver on to 51 factors on Monday, the identical as Madrid and a degree away from Atlético.
Madrid drew 1-1 at Osasuna on Saturday, and Atletico was held by the identical rating at residence by Celta Vigo.
“We shouldn’t fall into the lure of wanting an excessive amount of at what’s occurring within the desk,” Barcelona keeper Wojciech Szczesny advised Barca One after the match.
“We have been additionally, at one level, 9 factors forward of everybody else. You may see that once you get too excited or too relaxed, issues can change in a short time. So, we now have to be at our perfect within the subsequent match after which the sport after that.
“We nonetheless have three trophies to struggle for. We have now the possibility to do one thing very particular this season.”
Barcelona took the lead after 27 minutes when Pathe Ciss introduced down Inigo Martínez within the field, and a penalty was awarded after a video overview. Lewandowski despatched the keeper the mistaken means from the spot.
Each side had probabilities to attain after that.
Augusto Batalla saved effectively from Lamine Yamal, who was enjoying the a hundredth recreation of his profession, whereas on the different finish, Jorge De Frutos had the ball within the internet for Rayo, solely to see it dominated out for offside.
De Frutos was all the time harmful for Rayo, however as the sport went on, the house aspect took management and prolonged its unbeaten run to 12 matches.
“I mentioned that we might struggle till the top, and that’s what we’re doing. It’s not completed,” Barcelona supervisor Hansi Flick mentioned.
“We are actually in a great scenario – it’s good for the membership and for the boldness for the gamers, and, after all, for the followers. For the entire membership, it’s a giant factor. However it’s not the top. So we now have a protracted lengthy method to go.”
The defeat ended Rayo’s nine-game unbeaten streak that stretched again to December 7.
CLASIFICACIÓN | ¡El @FCBarcelona_es se coloca como líder de #LALIGAESPORTS! 📊 pic.twitter.com/mQix4nUaIS
— LALIGA (@LaLiga) February 17, 2025
