Barcelona noticed out a nervy win in opposition to Rayo Vallecano to return to the highest of La Liga for the primary time since December.
Robert Lewandowski’s first-half penalty was sufficient for Barca to leapfrog title rivals and Atletico Madrid, after each capital golf equipment dropped factors in 1-1 attracts on Saturday.
The Poland striker rolled his spot-kick in off the publish – his twentieth league objective of the season – after the hosts have been awarded a contentious penalty following a video assistant referee (VAR) evaluate.
Rayo midfielder Pathe Ciss was penalised for knocking down Inigo Martinez within the field, although the Barcelona centre-back was by no means near attending to the ball forward of goalkeeper Augusto Batalla.
The guests have been incensed after they have been denied a penalty following an identical incident, this time Ciss going to floor.
The controversy continued as Rayo thought that they had equalised when Jorge de Frutos latched on to a by ball and completed previous Wojciech Szczesny, however striker Randy Nteka – standing in an offside place – was judged to have interfered with Martinez’s skill to make a deal with.
Barcelona spurned a number of probabilities to attain within the second half, and have been lucky to not concede a late equaliser when De Frutos headed over following a Rayo counter-attack.
Hansi Flick’s aspect go high of with 51 factors, forward of Actual Madrid on objective distinction, and one level above Atletico, with 14 video games left to play.
