Barcelona maintained its position at the top of the Spanish league standings despite suffering a surprising 1-0 defeat at home to struggling Leganes on Sunday. Leganes, which had not won an away match all season, capitalized on an early goal to secure the victory.
Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, climbed to second place after defeating Getafe 1-0, moving ahead of city rivals Real Madrid. Both Barcelona and Atletico now have 38 points, but Barcelona holds the advantage on goal difference.
In the first of five La Liga matches on Sunday, Atletico secured its sixth consecutive league victory, putting them one point ahead of Real Madrid, which could only manage a 3-3 draw against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday. This sets the stage for an exciting matchup between the league leaders when Barcelona hosts Atletico next Saturday.
Atletico’s win came at the Wanda Metropolitano, where they recorded their 11th straight victory in all competitions. Although Getafe had struggled away from home, managing only two points from seven games this season, they made it difficult for Diego Simeone’s team. Atletico finally broke the deadlock in the 70th minute with a header from Alexander Sorloth.
In contrast, Barcelona missed the opportunity to extend its lead when Leganes took the lead early in the match with a header from Sergio González just four minutes in. The home side struggled to create chances, with coach Hansi Flick substituting star players Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo, and Lamine Yamal in the final quarter, but to no avail.
Leganes celebrated a crucial win that lifts them to 15th place, four points clear of the relegation zone. “Taking the lead so early against teams like this is dangerous because they have so much potential,” said Leganes defender Jorge Saenz. “We were able to defend together and keep them away from our area. Dmitrovic made three saves that were life-saving for us.”
Saenz added, “It’s only three points, but for us they’re like gold. Things were getting tight, and this gives us a little breathing room.”
Basque Derby Ends in Draw
In another match, Alaves and Athletic Bilbao played to a 1-1 draw in a Basque derby that ended Athletic’s six-game winning streak. Alaves, winless since November 1 and recently eliminated from the Copa del Rey, fell behind early when Unai Gómez scored in the 10th minute following a pass from Iñaki Williams.
However, Joan Jordán equalized midway through the second half, taking advantage of a goalkeeping error. Athletic had opportunities to win, but a late goal from Dani Vivian was disallowed due to an infringement. The draw leaves Athletic in fourth place, four points behind Real Madrid and five behind the top two.
“Winning today would have put us in a better position, but coming here for a derby is always tough,” Williams said. “In terms of effort, we can’t be faulted, but we lacked clarity up front. Overall, a draw is a fair result for both teams.”
Betis Extends Unbeaten Streak
Real Betis extended its unbeaten run to four games with a 2-1 victory over Villarreal, although coach Manuel Pellegrini expressed frustration at having to play with 10 men for much of the match following Ezequiel Ávila’s red card for a cynical foul just before halftime. Betis was leading 1-0 at the time, thanks to a goal from on-loan Barcelona striker Vitor Roque.
Giovani Lo Celso added a second goal for Betis shortly after the break with a stunning free kick. Although Alex Baena pulled one back for Villarreal with a well-taken volley, Betis held on to secure all three points, moving up to ninth place.
Pellegrini criticized the lack of VAR intervention on Ávila’s red card, stating, “Penalties, red cards, they should always be reviewed. They unbalanced the match today unfairly. VAR should be an ally, not an enemy.”
Additionally, Real Sociedad failed to win for the first time in five matches, settling for a 0-0 draw at home against Las Palmas. Both teams had opportunities to score, but poor finishing and solid goalkeeping resulted in a stalemate. Real Sociedad sits in seventh place, one point behind Villarreal, while Las Palmas is in 14th.
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