LA LIGA: BARCA EDGE RAYO TO GO SEVEN POINTS CLEAR

Barcelona moved seven points clear at the top of La Liga with a narrow victory over Rayo Vallecano at Spotify Nou Camp.

Ronald Araujo headed home a Joao Cancelo corner to give the hosts the lead after 24 minutes.

However, they could have been behind in the first minute when Carlos Martin had a tap in from six yards, but goalkeeper Joan Garcia raced out to close down the angle.

That was Rayo’s only shot on target in a largely uneventful first half.

Raphinha fired an effort towards the top corner but it took a deflection and Rayo goalkeeper Augusto Batalla did well to push it on to the crossbar.

After the break, Garcia produced a brilliant save to stop Unai Lopez’s close-range header from drawing Rayo level.

Pacha Espino curled a shot over the bar for Rayo in the 83rd minute as Barca clung on for a vital win.

Real Madrid face rivals Atletico Madrid late last night as they looked to close the gap back to four points.

Hansi Flick’s side travel to Atletico after the international break on Saturday, 4 April before facing them twice more in the Champions League quarter-finals.

In Germany, Harry Kane scored to move within 10 of the Bundesliga single-season goals record as Bayern Munich beat Union Berlin 4-0 at Allianz Arena.

Michael Olise opened the scoring before a Serge Gnabry double either side of Kane’s strike moved Bayern 12 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

Kane’s goal, which took him to 31 for the season in the Bundesliga, means he is now 10 behind the record set by former Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski in 2020-21.

“It’s still possible, I just have to keep doing what I’m doing,” Kane told reporters after the game.

“All it takes is a hat-trick or a couple of braces in a row and then it’ll look a bit more likely.”

The England forward’s bid for the record could be aided by Thomas Tuchel’s decision to rest him for the Three Lions’ friendly match against Uruguay.

Kane was named in Tuchel’s 35-man squad but the England boss confirmed the striker, along with a number of others, would join the camp later to take part in the second friendly against Japan.

“I think it makes sense when we look at the April schedule, May and then going into the World Cup, trying to use this time now to be as fresh as possible in that period,” the 32-year-old Kane said.

“For me and the boys who get a bit of time off, you have to use it wisely, you have to stay fit, stay sharp, but just kind of mentally rest and get ready for a really busy schedule when we get back.”

Kane will get his next chance to chip into the record when Bayern travel to Freiburg on Saturday, 4 April.