Barcelona extend LaLiga lead with 1-0 win at battling Leganes
Ammon News - Barcelona extended their lead at the top of the table to seven points with a hard-fought 1-0 win away to stubborn Leganes thanks to an own goal by defender Jorge Saenz on Saturday that took their unbeaten LaLiga run to 12 matches.
Hansi Flick's side moved to 70 points above second-placed Real Madrid, who have 63 and visit Alaves on Sunday.
"For us today was a very difficult game but winning was very important. I am proud of what my team is doing in the last few weeks and months," Barca boss Flick said.
"We need to work on our defence and attack. But we've got three points and that's what's important," he added.
In a tense first half, the hosts could have taken the lead when Dani Raba's pass found Adria Altimira in the box, but Barclona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was on hand to deny him.
Barca also threatened when Jules Kounde beat Saenz to the ball before firing wide.
The deadlock was finally broken after the break when Barca took the lead after Raphinha's cross for Robert Lewandowski was inadvertently deflected into the net by Leganes defender Saenz.
Lewandowski, chasing his 100th goal for the Catalans, later saw his header from another Raphinha's centre go wide before he was replaced by Ferran Torres after 67 minutes.
The hosts looked to have levelled when Dani Raba headed home Adria Altimira's cross but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Barcelona had a few more attempts, the clearest coming when Lamine Yamal combined with Torres but the former was unable to capitalise.
Leganes were desperate to get back into the game but the closest they came was a long-range effort from Diego Garcia that missed the target.
The relegation-threatened side remain second from bottom on 28 points, two points off the safety zone.
Barca, who are unbeaten in 24 games across all competitions, visit Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League quarter-final second leg on Tuesday having won the first game 4-0.
They will then host Celta Vigo in LaLiga on Saturday. Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Bawaba
3 days ago
- Al Bawaba
Video: PSG's Hakimi gives Brigitte Macron an awkward look
Published June 3rd, 2025 - 12:23 GMT ALBAWABA - Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Achraf Hakimi recently went viral on social media after a video revealed him giving Brigitte Macron an odd and awkward look during a meet-up that celebrated the football team's victory against Inter Milan in the Champions League finale. PSG won against Inter Milan 5-0 at the UEFA Champions League Final on May 31, 2025, sparking widespread celebrations on social media and in Paris' streets. Hakimi contributed to one goal out of the five scored in Milan's net. Several social media users noticed Hakimi's observatory look, alongside his teammate Lucas Hernández, who appeared visibly uncomfortable and confused. This may have stemmed from recent media coverage and controversy surrounding Brigitte Macron's appearance and identity. Recent rumors and investigations from the media claimed that Brigitte Macron is a transgener who was born a man with childhood photos as "evidence." The alleged photos were first shared by a French magazine, but quickly flooded social media with claims and reports. — Camille Moscow 🇷🇺 🌿 ☦️ (@camille_moscow) June 2, 2025 However, many reported on social media that the boy in the photos was not Brigitte Macron but "her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, from 1953, 1954, and 1955." The ongoing rumors were recently reignited by American far-right political commentator Candace Owens, who claimed that French President Emannuel Macron and his wife Brigitte sent her a "legal threat" to prevent her from speaking further about the matter in question. The rumors first occurred when two women (Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey) went on YouTube claiming that Brigitte was born in 1953 as a boy under the name "Jean-Michel Trogneux." They were later targeted in a defamation lawsuit and persecuted by a court in Normandy city. Emmanuel Macron has constantly denied the allegations mentioned above across the years, describing them as "false" and "fabricated lies." © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Ammon
3 days ago
- Ammon
Nations League final four: France, Spain, Germany, Portugal face off amid tiredness and injuries
Ammon News - No rest for the winners. Sandwiched between the Champions League final and Club World Cup, the Nations League final four provides another opportunity to win a trophy for players who might have more need of a break. Seven France players, four from Portugal, and one each from Spain and Germany were involved as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Inter Milan in the Champions League final on Saturday. Germany defender Yann Aurel Bisseck was injured playing for Inter and will miss the Nations League semifinal against Portugal in Munich on Wednesday. PSG players Gonçalo Ramos, João Neves, Nuno Mendes and Vitinha will need to shake off any lingering effects from celebrations before they play for Portugal. France plays Spain in the other semifinal in Stuttgart on Thursday, when Spain's Fabián Ruiz is likely to start in midfield despite starring in midfield for PSG on Saturday. France players Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, Lucas Hernandez and Warren Zaïre-Emery all helped PSG end its long wait to lift the Champions League trophy. France players Marcus Thuram and Benjamin Pavard were on the losing side for Inter Milan. While France coach Didier Deschamps will need to assess the impact of PSG's partying on his players, three of his preferred four-man backline are also injured. William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano and Jules Koundé are all out. Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga is also injured as a long season takes its toll. The winners of each semifinal will contest the final in Munich on Sunday. The losers won't get a break yet — they'll need to play in Stuttgart to decide third place. What is the Nations League? The new competition was formed in 2018 to replace what UEFA called 'meaningless friendlies' with competitive games pitting equally ranked teams against each other. For this, it set up a league structure with four divisions containing groups of national teams, then – from this edition – a new knockout round after the group phase among the top division's group winners and runners-up to determine which play in the finals. In the quarterfinals, Spain defeated the Netherlands on penalties, France also needed penalties against Croatia, Germany defeated Italy 5-4 on aggregate, and Portugal beat Denmark 5-3 on aggregate. It ensured all three previous winners of the competition – Portugal (2019), France (2021) and Spain (2023) – qualified for the final four along with host Germany. How important is the Nations League? Spain used success in 2023 as a springboard for winning the European Championship in 2024, and France reached the World Cup final in 2022 after winning the Nations League the year before. While fans might struggle to remember previous winners amid an increasingly packed schedule, coaches and players welcome the competitive edge it provides. For Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, it's a chance to win his first title. Though not comparable to winning a European Championship or World Cup, it would restore some pride in German soccer after the national team's decline following its 2014 World Cup win. Key facts — France's game with Spain is a repeat of their Euro 2024 semifinal, when the team starring Lamine Yamal got the better of Kylian Mbappé's France on its way to lifting the title. — Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki could make his debut for France. — Isco is back for Spain after a six-year-absence. The 33-year-old former Real Madrid star enjoyed a stellar season at Real Betis. — Germany captain Joshua Kimmich would make his 100th national team appearance if he plays against Portugal. — With Jamal Musiala out injured, Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz will be under more pressure to create openings for Germany. — Porto star Rodrigo Mora was called up by Portugal for the first time. The 18-year-old attacking midfielder has been linked with a host of clubs including Manchester United, Barcelona and PSG. — The evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo, now 40, will lead Portugal again. He might not get a break after this tournament either.
Ammon
3 days ago
- Ammon
Spain v France not a Ballon d'Or decider, says Yamal
Spain's Barcelona striker Lamine Yamal has said the Ballon d'Or award won't be decided by performances on Thursday when he and France's Paris St Germain forward Ousmane Dembele take part in the Nations League Final Four. Spain and France meet in Stuttgart for a place in the final, with the winners facing either Germany or Portugal who play in the other semi-final on Wednesday. Yamal and Dembele have been crucial for club and country this season and the prestigious golden ball trophy could end up with one of them in September during the ceremony in Paris. But the Barca striker challenged a journalist who asked whether Thursday's clash would be decisive for the voting. "If you had to give the Ballon d'Or, who would you give it to - the best player of the year or the one who wins on Thursday?" Yamal told Spanish broadcaster Cadena COPE on Monday. "I'm confident we'll win on Thursday, but whether we win or not, I'd vote for the player of the year because if something happens to me or Dembele on Thursday, who do you vote for? One who plays on Sunday? "I would give it to the best player of the year, and I'd keep it for myself." The competition is tough between the duo, with Dembele winning a Ligue 1, French Cup and Champions League treble, while the 17-year-old Yamal won LaLiga, the Spanish Cup and Spanish Super Cup. Dembele has scored 35 goals in all competitions for club and country this season, while Yamal has netted 19. The nominees for the 2025 edition of the Ballon d'Or award, which covers August 1-July 31, will be announced at the start of August, with the ceremony taking place on September 22. Reuters
