Barca exploits set pieces in 2-1 comeback win at Leganés

With its world-class attack falling short against the worst team in the Spanish league, Barcelona turned to an underused weapon to remain atop the standings.

Barcelona ground out a 2-1 victory at last-place Leganés on Saturday thanks to a pair of second-half goals by Luis Suárez and Arturo Vidal — both from set pieces.

Barcelona is known for its attractive passing-based attack that can generate spectacular goals after a finely crafted buildup. But Leganés deployed two lines of well-coordinated defenders in front of its area and stifled almost all attempts by Barcelona to break through.

The defending champions eked out a pair of goals — from a free kick and a corner that led to a defensive error — to move three points ahead of Real Madrid, which plays Real Sociedad later.

"There were so many players in the middle of the field that we had to look to set pieces," Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said. "Today we clearly saw that we were going to need to score on a cross or an isolated play because linking up through the middle was impossible."

Barcelona's preferences for strong passing skills and creativity — over more powerful and often taller players — can downplay the utility of set pieces for the Catalan club.

With his preferred route of quickly combining passes in short distances to weave his way to the goal cut off, Lionel Messi earned a foul outside the area. He then found Suárez with a lob that the striker headed home to equalize in the 53rd minute.

That canceled out a 12thminute opener from long range by Youssef En-Nesyri.

Leganés was still close to taking a point until midfielder Rubén Pérez knocked a Barcelona corner toward his own net, allowing substitute Vidal to tap in the winner with 11 minutes left.

"It hurts because they got us on set pieces," said Leganés coach Javier Aguirre after his second game in charge of the small Madrid-based side.