Barca protects La Liga lead with narrow win at Leganes

Barcelona, Apr. 14: Barcelona eked out a 1-0 win after an own goal from relegation-threatened Leganes on Saturday to protect its lead in the Spanish league.

Raphinha, Barcelona's breakout player of the season and the Champions League's leading scorer, came through again for Hasni Flick's team in attack – and defense.

Raphina's dangerous cross was turned into the net by Leganes defender Jorge Sáenz for the game's only goal in the 48th minute. The Brazil forward then showed hustle when he disrupted a promising pass for Leganes' top scorer, Daniel Rabaseda, late in the first half.

The hard-earned win extended Barcelona's lead to seven points over Real Madrid before the titleholders visit Alaves on Sunday. After this weekend there are seven rounds left, including a "clasico" next month.

"These games are where leagues are won," Barcelona's Éric García said. "It was a night to put the pressure (on Madrid)."

Leganes shocked Barcelona 1-0 in December, during a dip in form by the Catalan club. But since the start of 2025, Barcelona has now gone 24 games without a loss and is in the running for a treble of titles including the Copa del Rey, where it has set up a final against Madrid.

"To win this match was very important," Flick said. "I am really proud about my team. What they are doing the last weeks and months is incredible."

Espanyol striker Roberto Fernández, who arrived on loan from Braga in the winter market, scored two goals to lead a 2-0 win at Celta Vigo.

Cyle Larin and Sergi Darder scored as Mallorca beat Real Sociedad 2-0 in San Sebastian. Mallorca leapt over Sociedad into eighth as both fight for a European berth. Las Palmas also got its first victory of the year, a 3-1 win at Getafe.

De Bruyne sparks City comeback win 

Kevin De Bruyne wants to deliver Champions League qualification to Manchester City as a parting gift to his club of the last 10 years.

The Belgium playmaker certainly looked like a man on a mission in sparking City's remarkable fightback against Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday.

After City fell two goals behind inside 21 minutes, the 33-year-old De Bruyne curled a free kick in off the post to begin the comeback and had a hand in goals by Omar Marmoush and Mateo Kovacic in the first half. James McAtee added a fourth — off a pass from goalkeeper Ederson, who later came off injured — before fellow academy product Nico O'Reilly wrapped up the win.

It was a display showing the enduring quality of De Bruyne, who announced last week he would be leaving City at the end of the season, and he was given a standing ovation after being substituted in the 87th minute.

"I want to go away with a Champions League (place) for this team because they deserve it," he said. "We've been in the Champions League for the nine, 10 years that I've been here so I hope we can do that for the team next year."

City moved two points behind third-place Nottingham Forest, which conceded in stoppage time to lose 1-0 at home to Everton. Aston Villa won 3-0 at already-relegated Southampton to climb to fifth and stay a point behind City. Chelsea and Newcastle are a point further back.

Any realistic chances Arsenal had of winning the title disappeared weeks ago and the second-placed Gunners were held 1-1 by Brentford, leaving them 10 points behind Liverpool.

Forest's bid for Champions League qualification has been one of the stories of the season but the team is starting to wobble in the run-in.

Abdoulaye Doucoure finished a counterattack in the fourth minute of stoppage time for Everton's winner as Forest lost a second straight game, after being beaten at Villa last weekend.

There's only four points between Forest and seventh-place Newcastle, which hosts Manchester United on Sunday with manager Eddie Howe in hospital.

Leicester, which is heading for relegation in next-to-last place, scored for the first time since Jan. 26 in a 2-2 draw at Brighton.

Inter six points clear ahead 

Marko Arnautovic helped move Inter Milan six points clear at the top of Serie A with a goal and assist in Saturday's 3-1 win over Cagliari, ahead of their Champions League showdown with Bayern Munich.

Playing in place of Marcus Thuram with coach Simone Inzaghi looking ahead to Wednesday's quarter-final second leg with Bayern, Arnautovic lashed champions Inter ahead in the 13th minute.

And the Austria international laid on a perfect sweeping pass 13 minutes later for Lautaro Martinez, who dinked home his 20th goal of the season in all competitions.

Yann Bisseck's thumping header in the 55th minute made sure Inter would collect all three points at the San Siro, after Roberto Piccoli halved the deficit for 15th-placed Cagliari shortly after half-time.

Earlier Venezia boosted their survival hopes by beating rock-bottom Monza 1-0 and moving to within two points of Lecce who sit just outside the relegation zone and lost 2-1 at Juventus.

Juve moved up to third on 59 points thanks to a fine strike from Teun Koopmeiners after less than two minutes and Kenan Yildiz's effort in the 33rd minute in Turin.

Igor Tudor remains unbeaten three games into his reign after replacing the sacked Thiago Motta last month and is on course to guide Juve to the Champions League.

Juve are a point ahead of Atalanta who host Bologna -- a further point back in fifth -- in Sunday's first match, and as a result are guaranteed to stay in the top four for a week.(AP)