Barcelona boss Hansi Flick praised Inigo Martinez’s defensive performance after his side secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Leganes on Saturday.
The 33-year old proved his value to Flick’s side once more with a brilliant stoppage-time tackle on the edge of the box, to deny Leganes striker Munir El Haddadi who was through on goal.
Barcelona who dominated the game but struggled to test Marko Dmitrovic in the hosts goal, went ahead in the tough encounter when Jorge Saenz turned a cross from Raphinha into his own goal.
Martinez’s tackle on Munir prevented a late equalizer for the hosts, sparking jubilant celebrations from the Blaugrana bench.
“For me, the best situation [was] not only the goal, but the last save from Iñigo was unbelievable,” Barça coach Flick said in the post-game news conference.
“I celebrated it like a goal. Everyone celebrated it as a goal. It’s part of the game and, again, another clean sheet. It’s the perfect match here.
Three points are three points. It’s fantastic. I am really happy and very proud of my team.”
The win keeps Barcelona seven points ahead of their closest rival Real Madrid in the Spanish Laliga, as they close in on the title with seven games remaining.
The Catalan giants extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 24 games with the win, but the victory was overshadowed by an injury to left-back Alejandro Balde.
“Today, how we fight for 94, 95 minutes, it was unbelievable,” the German added.
“When you see the load the players have in the last couple of weeks, after the international break … what they did [in those games], the performances, it’s unbelievable
Now, we focus on recovery. I think the word I use most is recovery, recovery, recovery.
Barcelona head to Germany for the second leg of their UCL quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday with a 4-0 first leg advantage, before hosting Celta Vigo on Saturday in the Spanish Laliga.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
