Leganes have pulled off arguably the biggest result in the club's history with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Barcelona at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque this evening.
The match pitted bottom against top in La Liga, but it was the home side - who had picked up just one point from their opening five games - who emerged victorious on a memorable night as they toppled the defending champions for the first time ever.
Barca took the lead through Philippe Coutinho's skilful volley after only 12 minutes, but Leganes stunned their visitors with two goals in the space of just over a minute in the second half as Nabil El Zhar and Oscar Rodriguez capped a famous result - and one of the biggest shocks in recent La Liga history - to kickstart their campaign.
The win is manager Mauricio Pellegrino's first since taking charge of the team and only the second defeat Barcelona have suffered in their last 51 La Liga games, leaving them facing the prospect of falling behind Real Madrid when their main title rivals take on Sevilla later tonight.
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As expected, it was Barcelona who quickly took control of possession and they threatened an opening goal after only seven minutes when Ousmane Dembele cut inside before rippling the side-netting with a snapshot from 25 yards.
Leganes responded with their first sight of goal moments later, though, when Youssef En-Nesyri climbed highest in the area but could only nod his header well off target.
It was the first of a number of half-chances for the unfancied hosts during the first half, but the difference between the two sides in the opening 45 minutes was the moment of quality provided by Coutinho to open the scoring.
Messi created the space for the Brazilian with a darting run which attracted five defenders before giving the ball to Coutinho, whose first touch set up a volley which he sent beyond the despairing dive of Pichu Cuellar and into the bottom corner.
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Messi almost outshone his fellow South American just five minutes later when he sent a curling effort towards goal, only to see it crash off the angle of post and crossbar with the keeper nowhere near it.
The Argentine looked to be in the mood during the opening exchanges and threatened again moments later with a low shot from the edge of the box after more good interplay with Coutinho.
Leganes soon stemmed the flow of chances, though, and it was the hosts who looked most like scoring for the remainder of the first half despite surrendering the lion's share of possession to their more illustrious visitors.
Juanfran drew the first save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen with a deflected drive which the Barcelona keeper needed to claw away, while moments later Oscar completely fluffed his lines with a volley which dropped invitingly to him inside the area.
Pellegrino's side were once again made to rue a lack of quality in the final third seven minutes before half time when En-Nesyri was left unmarked inside the area, only to plant his header straight at Ter Stegen.
The closest Leganes got to a goal in the first half came right on the stroke of the break when Oscar cut inside before looking to pick out the far top corner, but Ter Stegen was on hand to deny the winger with a flying save.
The scoreline was harsh on the hosts as they went into the break behind, but they refused to let their heads drop and were rewarded for their gutsy play against the league leaders with two goals in the space of just 69 seconds early in the second half.
The first of the quickfire double came from former Liverpool winger El Zhar, who nodded home Jonathan Silva's cross when unmarked from close range after Unai Bustinza has begun the attack with a raking diagonal ball forward.
If that goal sent the Butarque into raptures, the hosts were left in dreamland just one minute later when Gerard Pique - also at fault for both goals in Sunday's 2-2 home draw with Girona - played a panicked clearance straight to Oscar, who blasted his first-time finish beyond Ter Stegen.
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Pellegrino and the Leganes fans will have been expecting an onslaught for the 37 minutes which remained in the match, but that never really materialised and the next chance also fell the way of the hosts when En-Nesyri's shot was well blocked inside the area.
Leganes did need a stunning double save from Cuellar to keep them ahead 10 minutes from time, though, with the keeper producing a fine one-handed stop to deny Coutinho before recovering in time to tip Ivan Rakitic's powerful volleyed rebound over the crossbar - a contribution every bit as impressive and important as the quickfire goals.
It proved to be the last clear sights of goal Barca could create, with Sergi Roberto lashing their only other hint of a chance over the top, and there was almost extra cause for celebration for the hosts late on when the tireless En-Nesyri shrugged off Samuel Umtiti before bearing down on goal and drawing another stop from Ter Stegen.
The full-time whistle went moments later, though, sealing a victory which lifts Leganes out of the relegation zone and inflicts a first defeat of the season on Barcelona, who have now failed to win two games in a row for the first time since November.
LEGANES (5-4-1): Cuellar; Juanfran, Bustinza, Tarin, Garcia, Silva; El Zhar (Nyom 86'), Perez, Vesga (Merino 82'), Oscar (Gumbau 74'); En-Nesyri
BARCELONA (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, Umtiti, Vermaelen (Alba 70'); Rakitic, Busquets, Coutinho; Munir (Suarez 61'), Messi, Dembele (Malcom 71')
Barney Corkhill
