Barcelona edge Rayo to extend La Liga lead
Barcelona pushed for a second goal, with Raphinha coming close, only to see his deflected effort strike the crossbar.
KATHMANDU: FC Barcelona secured a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Rayo Vallecano, stretching their lead at the top of La Liga to seven points.
The decisive moment came in the 24th minute at Camp Nou, when captain Ronald Araújo powered in a header from a corner delivered by João Cancelo.
Rayo Vallecano threatened early, creating a clear scoring chance, but Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García produced a crucial save to keep his side level.
Barcelona pushed for a second goal, with Raphinha coming close, only to see his deflected effort strike the crossbar.
The visitors continued to press in the second half, as Unai López forced another strong save from García with a close-range header.
Late in the match, Pacha Espino fired over the bar, allowing Barcelona to hold on for a narrow win.
With this result, Barcelona now have 73 points from 29 matches, reinforcing their position at the summit.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid (66 points) will look to close the gap when they face Atlético Madrid on Sunday.
