Coach Setien admits Barca were lucky

Coach Quique Setien admitted his team were a bit fortunate after Lionel Messi was rugby tackled and then scored a penalty for Barcelona to put the pressure back on Real Madrid by easing to a 2-0 victory over Leganes at an empty Camp Nou.

Messi was hauled to the ground in the first half by a diving Unai Bustinza wrapping two arms around his waist and he was knocked over again in the second, this time earning a penalty, which he converted.

After 33 appearances, Messi now has 26 goals this season. In his last eight games, he has seven goals and eight assists.

The 17-year-old Ansu Fati had earlier given Barcelona the lead, continuing his breakthrough season with a fifth goal in eight league starts.

“We had a bit of luck at the beginning,” Barca coach Quique Setien said.

But his team’s reward for a rather underwhelming performance is a five-point advantage over Madrid, who can reduce that back to two by winning at home to Valencia today.

Leganes have dropped to the bottom of the table and look doomed to relegation, their chances of survival damaged by Barcelona snatching away their top scorer Martin

Braithwaite as an emergency signing in February.

Leganes were not alone in feeling the rule had hurt them disproportionately and their sense of injustice might have been deepened by the fact Braithwaite was left on the bench for the entire 90 minutes.

Earlier, Getafe dropped more points in the race for Champions League qualification as they failed to break down Espanyol despite their opponents playing most of the match with 10 men.

A goalless draw represents a missed opportunity for Jose Bordalas’ side and they could even have lost to Espanyol, who had Bernardo Espinosa sent off in the 16th minute but are building momentum.

Getafe stay fifth, level on points with fourth-placed Real Sociedad, who will play their game in hand at Alaves today.

Espanyol move to within two points of safety after resuming with a 2-0 victory over Alaves on Saturday.

Villarreal stayed in the hunt for the European places by beating Real Mallorca 1-0.

Carlos Bacca’s early finish leaves Villarreal seventh, three points from fourth. Mallorca remain 18th. —