Barcelona stayed top of the Spanish league despite a shock 1-0 home defeat on Sunday to lowly Leganes, a team that had not won away all season. Atletico Madrid beat Getafe 1-0 to leapfrog city rival Real Madrid and go second. Both Barcelona and Atletico have 38 points but Barcelona has a better goal difference.
Playing in the first of five La Liga matches on Sunday, Atletico won its sixth consecutive league game to move a point clear of Real, which could only draw 3-3 with Real Vallecano on Saturday. The results set up a mouthwatering clash between the top two at Barcelona next Saturday.
The Madrid side will go into the match with the momentum after recording its 11th straight victory in all competitions on a chilly afternoon at the Wanda Metropolitano. Visitor Getafe had taken just two points from its seven away games so far this season but it made life difficult for Diego Simeone’s side. It took Atletico until the 70th minute to get the winner from Alexander Sorloth's header.
Barcelona then missed the chance to restore its three-point cushion when it lost to Leganes. Leganes went ahead with Sergio González's header after four minutes and spent most of the match defending its lead.
Leganes keeper Marko Dmitrović was superb, especially in the first half, and Barcelona’s front players were so ineffectual that coach Hansi Flick withdrew Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo and Lamine Yamal in the final quarter. His changes, however, had little effect and Leganes, promoted from the second tier in May, celebrated a win that lifts it into 15th, 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.”
“It’s only three points, but for us they’re like gold. Things were getting tight and this gives us a little breathing room.”
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