Barcelona surged back to the top of La Liga with a narrow 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano, thanks to a first-half penalty from Robert Lewandowski. The win sees the Catalan giants edge ahead of Real Madrid on goal difference, with both teams now level at 51 points, while Atlético Madrid trails by just one point.
Capitalizing on their rivals’ stumbles over the weekend, Barcelona made their statement on Monday night. Real Madrid was held to a 1-1 draw by Osasuna, while Atlético Madrid also dropped points in a 1-1 home draw against Celta Vigo.
“We can’t afford to get distracted by the standings,” Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny said after the match. “At one point, we were nine points ahead, and things changed fast. We have to stay sharp for the upcoming fixtures because we’re still in the hunt for three trophies this season.”
The decisive moment came in the 27th minute when Pathe Ciss fouled Íñigo Martínez inside the penalty area. After a VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot, and Lewandowski calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to put Barcelona ahead.
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Rayo Vallecano fought hard, creating chances of their own. Augusto Batalla made a crucial save to deny 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal in his milestone 100th career appearance. At the other end, Jorge De Frutos thought he had equalized for Rayo, only to see his effort ruled out for offside.
Despite Rayo’s relentless pressure, Barcelona maintained their defensive composure and extended their unbeaten run to 12 matches. Manager Hansi Flick remained cautious in his post-match assessment. “We are in a good position, but this is not the time to relax. There’s still a long road ahead, and we must stay focused,” he said.
The defeat ended Rayo’s impressive nine-game unbeaten streak, which had stretched back to December 7. With the title race heating up, Barcelona’s victory reinforces their ambition to reclaim La Liga supremacy and maintain momentum across all competitions.
