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 some extent away from Atlético.
Madrid drew 1-1 at Osasuna on Saturday, and Atletico was held by the identical rating at dwelling by Celta Vigo.
“We shouldn’t fall into the entice of wanting an excessive amount of at what’s taking place within the desk,” Barcelona keeper Wojciech Szczesny advised Barca One after the match.
“We had been additionally, at one level, 9 factors forward of everybody else. You can see that whenever you get too excited or too relaxed, issues can change in a short time. So, we’ve to be at our absolute best within the subsequent match after which the sport after that.
“We nonetheless have three trophies to struggle for. We’ve got 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 evaluate. Lewandowski despatched the keeper the incorrect manner from the spot.
Either side had possibilities to attain after that.
Augusto Batalla saved effectively from Lamine Yamal, who was taking part in the one hundredth sport of his profession, whereas on the different finish, Jorge De Frutos had the ball within the web 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 facet took management and prolonged its unbeaten run to 12 matches.
“I stated that we’d struggle till the tip, and that’s what we’re doing. It’s not completed,” Barcelona supervisor Hansi Flick stated.
“We are actually in a great scenario – it’s good for the membership and for the arrogance for the gamers, and, after all, for the followers. For the entire membership, it’s a giant factor. But it surely’s not the tip. So we’ve an extended lengthy strategy 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
