Barcelona needed a Jorge Saenz own goal to edge Leganes 1-0 and move seven points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga on Saturday. Second-placed champions Madrid face Alaves on Sunday and have to play catch-up after Hansi Flick's side scraped their way to a narrow but vital win on the road. The Catalan giants are fighting for a potential quadruple this season and took another small step towards the league title at Butarque stadium.
"The fight and the mentality the team showed today was great," said Flick, whose side beat Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.
"(Madrid) have a match tomorrow but we're only looking at ourselves, three points is good and we had a great week."
Despite Barca's display lacking the style and danger in front of goal they have shown for much of the season, the players celebrated vehemently at the end.
"In the end what is important in these games are three points," Barca defender Eric Garcia told DAZN.
"I think this is the type of game where the league is won... we're top of the table, which is where we want to be, and today we could extend that distance a bit."
Barcelona lost 1-0 at home against Leganes in December during a slump which they have turned around in 2025, now 24 consecutive matches unbeaten since the turn of the year.
The Madrid minnows set up to frustrate as they did in the first meeting, slowing the game with tactical fouls and the occasional spot of time-wasting.
Despite Flick selecting a strong side Barcelona found it hard to create danger and the hosts had the best chance of an ugly first half.
Dani Raba broke free down the left, with Inigo Martinez struggling to keep up, and he teed up Adria Altimira.
Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech
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