So, Barcelona get out of jail against Leganés, who were unlucky not to nudge themselves in front, after Lionel Messi’s early opener. Barcelona did not look co-ordinated, lacked rhythm and had goalkeeper Ter Stegen to thank for keeping them in it on numerous occasions. Messi trudged off at the final whistle. “He didn’t look too happy after that,” says Henry via email. “Luis Enrique and Messi to leave at the end of the season?” A question for another day now, perhaps.
Anyway, Barcelona return to within a point of Real Madrid at the La Liga summit, while Leganés remain precariously positioned above the relegation zone.
Thanks for your company, emails and tweets! Bye.
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Sunday’s La Liga results:
Real Sociedad 0-1 Villarreal
Valencia 2-0 Athletic Bilbao
Celta Vigo 3-0 Osasuna
Barcelona 2-1 Leganés
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Full-time: Barcelona 2-1 Leganés
Phew! Luis Enrique will surely live another day as Barcelona leave it painfully late to get past the La Liga strugglers, as Lionel Messi, who notched his 33rd and 34th goals of the season, scored the winning goal from the spot.
90+4 min: Martin is booked for challenge on Neymar, ripping a hole or two in the Brazilian’s shirt in the process.
90+3 min: El Zhar goes agonisingly close! He volleys just wide after Leganés win a late corner, following Denis Suarez’s clearance. This has been a magnificent performance from Leganés, the team making their first ever appearance at Camp Nou this evening.
90+1 min: We are in to the first of five added minutes.
90 min: It is a let-off for Barcelona, who have struggled to carve out clear-cut openings. Messi fires high to Herrerin’s right and he swaggers away from the penalty spot after notching his 34th goal of the season. Luis Enrique plays a timely get out of jail card.
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GOAL! Barcelona 2-1 Leganés (Messi, 90 pen)
Job done.
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88 min: Barcelona win a penalty! Mantovani, the Leganés skipper, fouls Neymar, who makes the most of it.
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87 min: Barcelona 76-24 Leganés read the possession stats. The all-important scoreline remains 1-1, though.
86 min: Brilliant work by Siavos, the Olympiakos loanee, kind of. He takes an age to leave the pitch with cramp and is eventually replaced by Pablo Insua. Barcelona search for a winning goal.
85 min: Herrerin prevents Barcelona from finding a second! The goalkeeper claws the ball away from Neymar’s boot and ends up on the floor, pained after his efforts. A smart stop after Neymar raced clear on goal after clever work by the substitute Jordi Alba.
84 min: Can Barcelona get over the line? “This is apparently the first time in Barcelona’s history they’ve fielded a starting 11 with just one Spaniard,” emails Nick. “Quite sad to see.”
82 min: And Leganés go close once more! A whipped in ball from the right by Lopez sees Gabriel chest the ball goalwards and Ter Stegen, nervously, eventually smothers.
80 min: Jordi Alba is also coming on for Barcelona, with Digne replaced.
77 min: What a priceless point this could prove to be for Leganés, providing they can hold on for a draw. Perhaps they might even nick it. It’s going to be quite the finale, with Messi fouled by Mantovani after a mazy run about 35 yards out. Iniesta and Denis Suárez are on.
76 min: No, no he can not. Barcelona, meanwhile, look to make a double change, with Iniesta and Denis Suárez readying themselves to enter the, er, fray.
75 min: Messi wins a foul on the edge of the box. Can he?
73 min: Another Barcelona attack breaks down after Rakitic’s lofted ball into the box is overhit. A restless home crowd react. Can Barcelona turn it on?
71 min: Roberto is closed down deep inside his own half, where he is probably fuled by Guerrero but Leganés carry on, picking out Lopez who drills low past Ter Stegen from the edge of the box. Game on!
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GOAL! Barcelona 1-1 Leganés (Lopez, 71)
A deserved equaliser, courtesy of the substitute Unai Lopez.
67 min: A crazy minute! Rafinha skips past Mantovani down the left flank but then cuts back inside at the opportune moment, delaying his shot on goal. Herrerin, the Leganés keeper, eventually pounces on the loose ball.
Just before, Jeremy Mathieu looked extremely fortunate not to enter the book – at all – for a foul on the Leganés striker Guerrero, who was through one-on-one with Ter Stegen. The referee waved play on, but perhaps a red card would have been more fitting for a tug on Guerrero’s shirt, after a neat through ball by Tito.
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66 min: Unai Lopez, the Leganés substitute attempts to find an opening but Barcelona snuff it out. No signs of any movement on the Barcelona bench, despite their half-baked performance thus far.
65 min: Neymar tries one trick to many, much to the anger of a few restless Barcelona supporters.
63 min: Neymar wins a foul on the edge of the box, drawing the foul from TIto after a tricky run. It’s taken quickly and Rakitic ends up picking the ball up on the opposite flank. But Digne loses Barcelona possession cheaply and Leganés push forward in search of an equaliser, until Umtiti clears. Meanwhile, Lopez replaces Moran for Leganés.
61 min: Messi finds Rafinha, who threatens to strike from outside the box before feinting to pick out Rakitic. He tries to square it across the box but his pass is a little wayward and Leganés clear their lines. Barcelona have played with a little more intent over the last few minutes, clearly in search of a second goal that would clear the air at the moment.
58 min: Herrerin makes a smart stop from Neymar, after a neat through ball by Messi. The Brazilian went for placement as opposed to power, and attempted to caress the ball low to the Leganés goalkeeper’s left. But Herrerin keeps it out.
56 min: Leganés hoof the ball upfield and Guerrero gets in between the Barcelona centre-back partnership of Mathieu and Umtiti. He shoots from a narrow angle but his effort is kept out by that man Ter Stegen. It was far too easy for the away side to carve out an opening and with one, big ball over the top, their centre-forward is through on goal. But Ter Stegen saves once more. He has been absolutely magnificent, and crucial to keeping Barcelona in it.
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55 min: If they play like this in the return Champions League last-16 leg, there is no way Barcelona will score four against PSG on 8 March.
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52 min: Rakitic wins a foul inside his own half but Barcelona are struggling to find their rhythm. At this rate, they might just be thankful for Messi’s early goal come full-time too. Tito has defended superbly at times for Leganés at the back.
50 min: Ah, that was delicious. A beautiful reverse ball from Neymar is almost reached by Suarez but he cannot quite latch onto it. If he managed to get hold of it, he would have had a clear sighting of Herrerin’s goal.
49 min: Barcelona still look a little stodgy in possession. Suarez is the latest player to see the ball run away from him. They are far from being in full flow this evening. Or not just yet anyway.
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47 min: Leganés win an early free-kick and Digne does well to clear for a corner. Suarez was booked for the foul. Not quite the electric start Barcelona will have hoped for.
Peeeeeep!
The second half is underway.
Both sets of players are back in the tunnel, just in front of the iconic Camp Nou chapel. The second half is almost upon us.
What did Luis Enrique exactly say at the break? Who knows, but might we see a steamrollering performance from his Barcelona in the second half as a result, with the next 45 minutes imminent at Camp Nou.
Half-time: Barcelona 1-0 Leganés
Lionel Messi’s goal is the difference at the break but they have Marc-André ter Stegen to thank for keeping the away side at bay.
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44 min: Leganés win a corner on the brink of half-time but Ter Stegen punches clear. El Zhar then chucks the ball back in and the Barcelona goalkeeper makes another fantastic save after the forward’s deflected effort leaves him wrong-footed. The giant left hand of Ter Stegen keeps Barcelona ahead at the break.
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42 min: Brilliant defending by Barcelona’s Mathieu! Umtiti slips just inside his own half and Guerrero races through towards goal but the France defender slides in with perfectly-timed challenge to avert the danger. The Leganés forward was baring down on the goalkeeper but for Mathieu’s intervention.
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41 min: Rakitic is reduced to shooting from distance, moments after Messi’s through ball for Suarez is cut out. Leganés stand tall again.
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38 min: More attacking play by Barcelona sees Neymar and Messi exchange passes before Messi is tackled on the edge of the area. Barcelona are still very much in control but in truth they have struggled to make that all-important killer pass or touch in the final third.
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37 min: The overlapping Roberto races onto a lovely pass by Digne. He crosses but it’s straight down the throat of Herrerin, with Suarez and Messi on their toes.
35 min: Guerrero forces Umtiti into making a smart sliding tackle. The striker is thwarted in his attempt to race onto a low through ball. Barcelona have had their work cut out a little with the forward’s relentless running, and then El Zhar to worry about as well.
34 min: More questions are being asked of the Barcelona defence. Leganés whip in a corner and Mantovani wastes practically a free header, with his effort soaring over Ter Stegen’s goal. Leganés are not down and out by any means just yet.
32 min: Messi picks out Neymar, who then with his first touch darts inside, running along the edge of the box like a tightrope walker. He jinks past a couple of Leganés defenders before attempting to pick out Suarez. He does not manage to, though, and Leganés clear their lines.
30 min: Another glimpse of goal for Leganés! El Zhar, again, is the one who is lurking for the away side but he cannot quite latch onto a neat through ball. He’s quick, but not that quick. Barcelona attempt to calm things down.
29 min: Messi slams his effort straight into the wall. An anti-climax.
28 min: And now Messi wins a free-kick in a deadly area just outside the box. He’s chopped down after a weaving run. It’s Mantovani who fouls his countryman.
26 min: Brilliant play by Barcelona! And it’s Messi and Suarez who again combine to create havoc in the Leganés box. Messi is threaded through by Suarez’s lovely weighted ball and his effort is just about cleared for a corner. He ends up in a heap on the floor but he’s OK.
24 min: Jose Enrique looks a little lost on the touchline. Maybe he’s re-living Tuesday night. Or perhaps El Zhar’s one-on-one chance a moment ago. A neat one-two between Suarez and Messi soon follows but the ball just runs away from the Uruguay striker.
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22 min: El Zhar picks out Guerrero but Andre Gomes snuffs it out. Barcelona go again. El Zhar is definitely the go-to outlet for Leganés here.
20 min: Barcelona have got a little sloppy in possession. Roberto’s through ball for Suarez is overhit, and Rakitic sees a pass intercepted. It is then perhaps no coincidence that Leganés are enjoying their best spell so far.
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18 min: Leganés are on the back foot once more, with Rakitic earning a Barcelona corner. It takes time for the away side to clear but eventually they do, with Ter Stegen required to start over.
16 min: Leganés go close twice! El Zhar is played in with one, big lofted ball over the top. Ter Stegen is sluggish out of the blocks but denies the forward one-on-one. His drilled follow-up effort is eventually cleared by Barcelona after the goalkeeper saved to his left. El Zhar really should have scored though there. Maybe it will not be so straightforward this evening after all ...
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14 min: Neymar is guilty of losing the ball on the halfway line and Leganés break down the right once more. They look a little unsure what to do with it, which is odd considering Leganés scored the second-highest amount of goals in the Segunda División last season.
12 min: Ter Stegen touches the ball for just the second time, then Barcelona go up the other end to start another attack. Messi tries and fails. Leganés then break down the right but El Zhar is flagged offside.
11 min: Leganés, for a moment, proceeded into Barcelona’s half only to concede a clumsy free-kick. Barcelona knock the ball around the defence for a bit, although it’s none of that tiki-taka stuff just yet.
9 min: Barcelona win a free-kick on the right flank. Leganés opt for some trademark zonal marking but Messi floats it in and it’s high and wide.
7 min: Leganés have retreated deep inside their own half. All 11 players are behind the ball. This is going to be a long 83 minutes or so for them, especially the forward Nabil El Zhar, once of Liverpool.
5 min: Leganés are trying to close all of the roads to Herrerin’s goalmouth at the moment. The roadblock is not exactly watertight, though, and Rafinha picks the ball up again in a dangerous area before drawing a foul.
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4 min: There we go then. Barcelona very much in the ascendency after Messi pokes home his 33rd goal of the season.
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GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Leganés (Messi, 4)
Leganés cannot say it has not been coming. A disastrous start for the visitors but just the ticket for Luis Enrique. Suarez races clear down the left flank and he crosses low for Messi who has the simplest of finishes.
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2 min: Messi dances on the edge of the area, in search of an opening but Guerrero clears, as he decides he will be the Leganés player to avert danger. They had all 11 players behind the ball for a moment.
1 min: Messi and Neymar exchange early passes in an advanced area but it’s the away side who test the Barcelona goalkeeper, Ter Stegen, first. It’s easy for him to collect, though, and Barcelona regain possession.
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Peeeeeeeeep!
We’re off. So then, what are Barcelona made of?
Two Argentinians, Messi and Mantovani, exchange handshakes on the centre circle as the captains do the coin toss. It will be Barcelona who get us underway.
Leganés have had a mammoth team huddle before the match, led by the captain Martin Mantovani. He is geeing up the troops, with what looks like a hands-in kind of all hands on to the deck approach. Mantovani’s palms are the glue in it all. Both teams are in the tunnel and kick-off just a couple of minutes away.
Some more pre-match Iniesta loving then. “Iniesta a giant in every sense of word,” tweets John. “What a class act we’ve been privileged to see a master of the game at work.”
So, kick-off is around 15 minutes away. Leganés have had a good look at the Camp Nou and they have surveyed the pitch, on their first visit to Barcelona.
A teeny stat: should Andres Iniesta jump off the bench this evening, then he will make his 400th La Liga appearance for Barcelona.
Some news: Christian Bassogog, who starred for Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations, and in years gone by would have perhaps been sold to a La Liga biggie, has been flogged to the Chinese Super League side Henan Jianye, his club Aalborg confirmed a few minutes ago.
Luis Enrique, unsurprisingly, says he is looking for an almighty reaction tonight after that 4-0 humiliation. OK, he didn’t say almighty. “The game against Leganés is a chance to see our reaction to what happened in Paris,” Enrique said at his pre-match press conference.
The teams!
Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Digne, Umtiti, André Gomes, Mathieu, S Roberto, Rafinha, Rakitic, Neymar, Suárez, Messi
Subs: Cillessen, Piqué, Denis, Iniesta, Alcacer, Alba, Alena
Leganés: Herrerin, Tito, Mantovani, Martin, Gabriel, Guerrero, Szymanowski, Moran, Rico, Siovas, El Zhar
Subs: Champagne, Machis, Bueno, Diaz, Insua, Lopez, Luciano
Preamble
The big question is how exactly will Barcelona react to their midweek crushing by Paris Saint-Germain. They have, on the face of it, the straightforward task of disposing of Leganés, a team marooned towards the bottom of La Liga. “Leganés have many different facets, not only on the tactical side, but that they have different types of individuals which can cause problems … I’m not sure which Leganés we will encounter, but they normally pressure high up the field,” Luis Enrique said before the match.
Barcelona have it all to do, though, and they kick-off third in the table, behind Sevilla and Real Madrid. Barça are however on a 15-match winning streak in the league and are also through to the Copa del Rey Final. Leganés have failed to score in five of their least six league outings, so a repeat of Tuesday’s trouncing is unlikely.
Team news is up next!
Kick-off: 7.45pm GMT
Ben will be here shortly. Here’s Sid Lowe on whether there is any way back for Luis Enrique at Barcelona after their 4-0 defeat in Paris this week:
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