Barcelona climbed back to the pinnacle of the Spanish La Liga on Monday, edging Rayo Vallecano 1-0 thanks to a penalty converted by Robert Lewandowski in the first half.

The victory allowed the Catalan side to capitalize on recent stumbles by both Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, bringing their total points to 51. They are now level with Real Madrid but hold a point advantage over Atlético, who sits third in the standings.

Real Madrid managed a 1-1 draw against Osasuna on Saturday, while Atlético Madrid also finished in a draw with Celta Vigo at home, contributing to Barcelona’s position atop the table.

The decisive moment in the match occurred in the 27th minute when Pathe Ciss fouled Íñigo Martínez in the penalty area. After a review through video assistance, a penalty was awarded to Barcelona. Lewandowski made no mistake from the penalty spot, expertly sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Following the penalty, both teams had opportunities to expand the scoreline. Lamine Yamal, celebrating his 100th career appearance, was denied by a solid save from Rayo’s goalkeeper Augusto Batalla. Conversely, Jorge De Frutos found the back of the net for Rayo only to have the goal disallowed due to offside.

De Frutos consistently posed a threat for Rayo Vallecano throughout the match, but as time progressed, Barcelona began to dominate proceedings, marking their 12th match without a loss. This defeat also ended Rayo’s impressive unbeaten run of nine matches, which dated back to December 7.