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Barcelona ascended to the summit of La Liga after grinding out a narrow 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano at home, thanks to Robert Lewandowski’s penalty conversion.
Following setbacks for both Madrid clubs—who played with depleted squads and settled for 1-1 draws on Saturday—Barcelona seized the opportunity to take control of the title race. Just three weeks ago, the Catalan giants had trailed the league leaders by seven points, but their recent resurgence has seen them mount a strong comeback.
Lewandowski Makes the Difference
The decisive moment came in the 28th minute, when Lewandowski stepped up to the penalty spot and coolly slotted home his 20th goal of the season, with his effort rebounding in off the post.
Despite Barcelona’s dominance, Rayo Vallecano’s goalkeeper Pep Chavarria put in an impressive shift, denying several attacking efforts from the hosts. At the other end, Jorge de Frutos thought he had equalized, only to see his goal ruled out, and later missed a crucial header in stoppage time that could have altered the outcome.
A Hard-Fought Victory
Acknowledging the difficulty of the contest, Barcelona fullback Álex Balde emphasized the importance of grinding out results:
"We can't win every game 3-0, we had to work for it."
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick echoed similar sentiments, appreciating his team’s performance while noting there is still room for improvement:
"It was hard work for the players, and in the end, we are happy. Everyone is pleased about our new position. I think we played well, although I believe we can do better."
Barcelona’s Unbeaten Run Continues
With this result, Barcelona extended their unbeaten streak to 12 matches in 2025, showcasing their consistency at a crucial stage of the season. At the same time, they ended Rayo Vallecano’s impressive 10-match unbeaten run, which had propelled the Madrid-based club to an unexpected sixth place in the standings.
As Barcelona takes control at the top of the table, the La Liga title race is heating up—can they maintain their momentum in the coming weeks?
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