Barcelona leaves it late to sneak past Leganes
Madrid, Spain - Barcelona needed a late winner from Arturo Vidal to beat bottom-club Leganes 2-1 in a Spanish League game on Saturday and dig out a much-needed victory ahead of what could prove a crucial month in its season.
Vidal poked in a fortuitous goal in the 79th minute at Butarque after Luis Suarez headed home a Lionel Messi free-kick to cancel out a brilliant opener from Leganes forward Youssef En-Nesyri.
Barcelona stays top of the table, three points above Real Madrid, which play later on Saturday at home to La Liga's surprise high-flier Real Sociedad.
A gritty win will also come as a relief to under-pressure coach Ernesto Valverde, whose team now turn their attention to Wednesday's crunch Champions League group game against Borussia Dortmund at Camp Nou.
A goalless draw against Slavia Prague earlier this month means Barca's qualification from Group F is no longer guaranteed.
After Dortmund, it then plays away at Atletico Madrid in league to start a month that will include trips to Inter Milan in the Champions League and Real Sociedad in league before the season's first Clasico at home to Real Madrid.
The home side made the perfect start as En-Nesyri beat Gerard Pique with a wonderful early striker.
One pass from Roque Mesa was enough to set En-Nesyri free against the 32 year old in the 12th minute.
Pique jostled but was taken by surprise as En-Nesyri nipped inside and bent a shot into the far corner. Leganes might have had a second soon after and Pique would have been at fault, the defender allowing Martin Braithwaite in after failing to clear, but Oscar Rodriguez was unable to capitalise.
Crosses were a weakness for Leganes as three Barcelona headers all could have gone in. Suarez went close. Pique hit the post. Then Suarez did find the net, glancing in Messi's clipped free-kick for his ninth goal of the season.
Barca's second owed much to luck but it came from another cross. Pique rose to head in but the ball missed him and cannoned off the foot of Ruben Perez. Vidal was waiting on the line to prod in.