Barcelona noticed out a nervy win towards 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 submit – his twentieth league purpose of the season – after the hosts had been awarded a contentious penalty following a video assistant referee (VAR) evaluation.
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 had been incensed after they had been denied a penalty following the same 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 means of ball and completed previous Wojciech Szczesny, however striker Randy Nteka – standing in an offside place – was judged to have interfered with Martinez’s potential to make a sort out.
Barcelona spurned a number of possibilities to attain within the second half, and had been lucky to not concede a late equaliser when De Frutos headed over following a Rayo counter-attack.
Hansi Flick’s facet go prime of with 51 factors, forward of Actual Madrid on purpose distinction, and one level above Atletico, with 14 video games left to play.