So, Barcelona get out of jail against Leganés, who were unlucky not to nudge themselves in front, after Lionel Messi’s early opener. Barcelona did not look co-ordinated, lacked rhythm and had goalkeeper Ter Stegen to thank for keeping them in it on numerous occasions. Messi trudged off at the final whistle. “He didn’t look too happy after that,” says Henry via email. “Luis Enrique and Messi to leave at the end of the season?” A question for another day now, perhaps.
Anyway, Barcelona return to within a point of Real Madrid at the La Liga summit, while Leganés remain precariously positioned above the relegation zone.
Phew! Luis Enrique will surely live another day as Barcelona leave it painfully late to get past the La Liga strugglers, as Lionel Messi, who notched his 33rd and 34th goals of the season, scored the winning goal from the spot.
90+3 min: El Zhar goes agonisingly close! He volleys just wide after Leganés win a late corner, following Denis Suarez’s clearance. This has been a magnificent performance from Leganés, the team making their first ever appearance at Camp Nou this evening.
90 min: It is a let-off for Barcelona, who have struggled to carve out clear-cut openings. Messi fires high to Herrerin’s right and he swaggers away from the penalty spot after notching his 34th goal of the season. Luis Enrique plays a timely get out of jail card.
Lionel Messi makes no mistake from the penalty spot. Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters
86 min: Brilliant work by Siavos, the Olympiakos loanee, kind of. He takes an age to leave the pitch with cramp and is eventually replaced by Pablo Insua. Barcelona search for a winning goal.
85 min: Herrerin prevents Barcelona from finding a second! The goalkeeper claws the ball away from Neymar’s boot and ends up on the floor, pained after his efforts. A smart stop after Neymar raced clear on goal after clever work by the substitute Jordi Alba.
84 min: Can Barcelona get over the line? “This is apparently the first time in Barcelona’s history they’ve fielded a starting 11 with just one Spaniard,” emails Nick. “Quite sad to see.”
82 min: And Leganés go close once more! A whipped in ball from the right by Lopez sees Gabriel chest the ball goalwards and Ter Stegen, nervously, eventually smothers.
77 min: What a priceless point this could prove to be for Leganés, providing they can hold on for a draw. Perhaps they might even nick it. It’s going to be quite the finale, with Messi fouled by Mantovani after a mazy run about 35 yards out. Iniesta and Denis Suárez are on.
76 min: No, no he can not. Barcelona, meanwhile, look to make a double change, with Iniesta and Denis Suárez readying themselves to enter the, er, fray.
73 min: Another Barcelona attack breaks down after Rakitic’s lofted ball into the box is overhit. A restless home crowd react. Can Barcelona turn it on?
71 min: Roberto is closed down deep inside his own half, where he is probably fuled by Guerrero but Leganés carry on, picking out Lopez who drills low past Ter Stegen from the edge of the box. Game on!
Unai López levels the scores... Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters
67 min: A crazy minute! Rafinha skips past Mantovani down the left flank but then cuts back inside at the opportune moment, delaying his shot on goal. Herrerin, the Leganés keeper, eventually pounces on the loose ball.
Just before, Jeremy Mathieu looked extremely fortunate not to enter the book – at all – for a foul on the Leganés striker Guerrero, who was through one-on-one with Ter Stegen. The referee waved play on, but perhaps a red card would have been more fitting for a tug on Guerrero’s shirt, after a neat through ball by Tito.
66 min: Unai Lopez, the Leganés substitute attempts to find an opening but Barcelona snuff it out. No signs of any movement on the Barcelona bench, despite their half-baked performance thus far.
63 min: Neymar wins a foul on the edge of the box, drawing the foul from TIto after a tricky run. It’s taken quickly and Rakitic ends up picking the ball up on the opposite flank. But Digne loses Barcelona possession cheaply and Leganés push forward in search of an equaliser, until Umtiti clears. Meanwhile, Lopez replaces Moran for Leganés.
61 min: Messi finds Rafinha, who threatens to strike from outside the box before feinting to pick out Rakitic. He tries to square it across the box but his pass is a little wayward and Leganés clear their lines. Barcelona have played with a little more intent over the last few minutes, clearly in search of a second goal that would clear the air at the moment.
58 min: Herrerin makes a smart stop from Neymar, after a neat through ball by Messi. The Brazilian went for placement as opposed to power, and attempted to caress the ball low to the Leganés goalkeeper’s left. But Herrerin keeps it out.
56 min: Leganés hoof the ball upfield and Guerrero gets in between the Barcelona centre-back partnership of Mathieu and Umtiti. He shoots from a narrow angle but his effort is kept out by that man Ter Stegen. It was far too easy for the away side to carve out an opening and with one, big ball over the top, their centre-forward is through on goal. But Ter Stegen saves once more. He has been absolutely magnificent, and crucial to keeping Barcelona in it.
52 min: Rakitic wins a foul inside his own half but Barcelona are struggling to find their rhythm. At this rate, they might just be thankful for Messi’s early goal come full-time too. Tito has defended superbly at times for Leganés at the back.
50 min: Ah, that was delicious. A beautiful reverse ball from Neymar is almost reached by Suarez but he cannot quite latch onto it. If he managed to get hold of it, he would have had a clear sighting of Herrerin’s goal.
49 min: Barcelona still look a little stodgy in possession. Suarez is the latest player to see the ball run away from him. They are far from being in full flow this evening. Or not just yet anyway.
Barcelona’s Luis Suárez duels for the ball with Leganes’ Alberto Martin. Photograph: Manu Fernandez/AP
47 min: Leganés win an early free-kick and Digne does well to clear for a corner. Suarez was booked for the foul. Not quite the electric start Barcelona will have hoped for.
What did Luis Enrique exactly say at the break? Who knows, but might we see a steamrollering performance from his Barcelona in the second half as a result, with the next 45 minutes imminent at Camp Nou.
44 min: Leganés win a corner on the brink of half-time but Ter Stegen punches clear. El Zhar then chucks the ball back in and the Barcelona goalkeeper makes another fantastic save after the forward’s deflected effort leaves him wrong-footed. The giant left hand of Ter Stegen keeps Barcelona ahead at the break.
42 min: Brilliant defending by Barcelona’s Mathieu! Umtiti slips just inside his own half and Guerrero races through towards goal but the France defender slides in with perfectly-timed challenge to avert the danger. The Leganés forward was baring down on the goalkeeper but for Mathieu’s intervention.
38 min: More attacking play by Barcelona sees Neymar and Messi exchange passes before Messi is tackled on the edge of the area. Barcelona are still very much in control but in truth they have struggled to make that all-important killer pass or touch in the final third.
37 min: The overlapping Roberto races onto a lovely pass by Digne. He crosses but it’s straight down the throat of Herrerin, with Suarez and Messi on their toes.
35 min: Guerrero forces Umtiti into making a smart sliding tackle. The striker is thwarted in his attempt to race onto a low through ball. Barcelona have had their work cut out a little with the forward’s relentless running, and then El Zhar to worry about as well.
34 min: More questions are being asked of the Barcelona defence. Leganés whip in a corner and Mantovani wastes practically a free header, with his effort soaring over Ter Stegen’s goal. Leganés are not down and out by any means just yet.
32 min: Messi picks out Neymar, who then with his first touch darts inside, running along the edge of the box like a tightrope walker. He jinks past a couple of Leganés defenders before attempting to pick out Suarez. He does not manage to, though, and Leganés clear their lines.
