The solitary goal came in the 48th minute when Leganes central defender Jorge Sáenz, attempting to intercept a pass from Raphinha intended for Robert Lewandowski, inadvertently slid the ball into his own net. The unfortunate error overshadowed what was otherwise a commendable performance from the home side, who managed to create more clear-cut scoring opportunities than the league leaders.
Despite Leganes' spirited efforts, Barcelona secured the hard-fought victory, extending their advantage over Real Madrid to seven points. Real Madrid are scheduled to play Alaves on Sunday, and the gap at the top could potentially narrow before the highly anticipated "clasico" next month, with only seven league rounds remaining after this weekend's fixtures.
Leganes had previously stunned Barcelona with a 1-0 victory in December, a period when the Catalan giants experienced a dip in form. However, since the turn of the year in 2025, Barcelona has displayed remarkable consistency, now boasting an impressive 24-game unbeaten streak across all competitions. They remain in contention for a treble of titles, having also reached the Copa del Rey final where they will face Real Madrid in two weeks.
This hard-earned win also serves as a positive momentum builder for Hansi Flick's Barcelona squad as they prepare for their Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. The Catalan side will travel to Germany with a comfortable 4-0 lead from the first leg.