Barcelona 1-0 Rayo Vallecano – Back atop La Liga standings
Barcelona pulled off a hard-fought 1-0 win against Rayo Vallecano in round 24, and that win has them back at the top of La Liga. Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid only managed draws, opening the door for Barca to grab the lead.
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Barcelona 1-0 Vallecano – Hard-fought victory that paid off well
Playing at their temporary home at Montjuïc this season, Barcelona got on the board in the 28th minute when Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty. It was a crucial goal that made all the difference. The game saw a bit of drama, too—there was a rough moment when Inigo Martinez got pushed down by Abdul Mumin, and Lewandowski didn’t miss his chance to keep his team ahead.
At 36 and 180 days old, Lewandowski is now the oldest player to score at least 20 goals in a La Liga season—a record that hadn’t been seen since Real Madrid legend Ferenc Puskás in 1964. Although teammates Raphinha and Lamine Yamal had their own chances to extend the lead, Vallecano’s keeper was in top form.
There was also a heated moment in the 43rd minute when Vallecano thought they’d equalized. Jorge de Frutos made a run and shot past Barcelona’s keeper, Wojciech Szczesny. However, the goal was ruled offside after VAR spotted that Randy Nteka had interfered with Inigo Martinez—even though it looked like Nteka wasn’t involved. Controversial? Absolutely. But the officials stood by their decision.
However, it is stated in the offside rule that if the player intervenes in the build-up in any way, like blocking the opponent’s movement, it will be considered off-sided. Nteka attempted a similar act, which would have made the decision correct.
La Liga Standings Update after Barcelona beat Vallecano
Barcelona now sits at the top with 51 points from 24 games, thanks to a superior goal difference (+40 compared to Real Madrid’s +29). Real Madrid also have 51 points, but a few poor results have cost them the top spot. Atlético Madrid is close behind in third with 50 points. This is the first time since round 18 that Barcelona has been leading the league, and they’ve been on a roll lately with four straight wins.
Real Madrid Eyeing a Big Change
In a surprising twist, reports suggest Real Madrid is fed up with La Liga. According to Diario Sport, they’re even considering a move to one of Europe’s other top leagues—maybe Ligue 1, the Bundesliga, or Serie A. The club’s leaders claim they’re tired of “referee oppression” in La Liga, highlighted by the red card given to Jude Bellingham in the Osasuna game.
This isn’t the first time such a rumor has surfaced. In 2017 and 2021, there were talks of Real Madrid switching leagues or creating a Super League. But now, as current Champions League holders, Real are reportedly seriously eyeing a new challenge abroad. Of course, making such a move would be highly complicated, needing approval from FIFA, UEFA, and the new league’s governing body.
To add fuel to the fire, Real Madrid recently sent a strong letter to the Spanish FA and higher authorities, complaining about refereeing mistakes that have hurt their chances. They’re also still upset about the long-running Negreira case, which involves claims that Barcelona once paid $1.5 million to a top referee official between 2016 and 2018.
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