FC Barcelona: Iñaki Peña, Cancelo. Christensen, Martínéz, Balde, Romeu (Gündogan 54′), De Jong, Pedri (Fermin 75′), Torres (Felix 54′), Lewandowski, Yamal (Raphinha 75
Bench: Araujo, Koundé, Alonso, Gündogan, Raphinha, Felix, Astralaga, Aron, Fermín, Garrido and Unai
Goals: 1-0 Unai (39′), 1-1 Lejeune, own goal (82′)
Barca visited Rayo Vallecano in the 14th round of the league. Here the team had to do without Ter Stegen, who had a back injury, and this meant rare playing time for reserve goalkeeper Iñaki Peña. Another change was that Frenkie de Jong stepped straight into the starting line-up after his injury break.
Barca were met high on the pitch and this created problems with the play. You could already see that in the 5th minute, when Martínez made a bad clearance so that Rayo had an open shooting opportunity, but Peña parried in two rounds. The problems continued for Barca and in the 10th minute it was De Jong who threw the ball away in front of his own half, allowing Rayo’s Valentín to finish, but here again Peña intervened well. A quarter of an hour had to pass before Barca got their first finish, but Pedri’s shot was just at the keeper.
After a somewhat hesitant start by Barca, they started to get a little more control of the game and they were mostly on the ball. However, most of the play was played across and the forward play did not work at all. De Jong struggled to create the Catalan game together with Pedri, but most of it ran into the sand. Rayo fought as they usually do and they were well supported by a packed Vallecas who cheered each duel won. The game was played with great intensity from both sides and after half an hour Barca finally managed to create something. Yamal went on a nice slalom ride in Rayo’s box, but his finish was a bit cold and didn’t give the goalkeeper any problems.
In the 39th minute, Rayo received a free kick outside Barca’s field and after a couple of rebounds it ended up with the home team’s Unai Lopez well outside the field. Here he sent a projectile off, so that the ball hit the net, at the foot of one of the posts. 1-0 to Rayo and the frustrations shone out of Barca’s players. Barca failed to respond again before the half-time whistle and they had to go into the break trailing 1-0, after a disappointing effort in the first 45 minutes.
Barca started the second half with a good effort by Cancelo, where the ball went wide of the goal. It was the visitors who took the initiative and there was more speed in the ball. It gave Torres a good header chance in the 54th minute, but the keeper saved. Immediately afterwards, Torres and Romeu were dropped in favor of Felix and Gündogan. Two minutes later it was Pedri who finished, but his header went wide. Rayo started to lag a little behind in the duels and this led to some free kicks and a couple of yellow cards, just as time was drawn when they had the opportunity.
In the 65th minute, Barca finished again, but Martínez also headed over the goal. Barca pressed and struggled to create chances, but there wasn’t much space in Rayo’s box, so the final passes didn’t make it. The home team concentrated on defending themselves and they were now rare guests in front of Barca’s pitch. With a quarter of an hour left, Barca switched again as Fermín and Raphinha replaced a tired Pedri and Yamal. A minute later, it was Raphinha who came extremely close to equalizing, as his shot hit the post. The riposte hit a Rayo player and was close to hitting the goal, but the goalkeeper saved on the goal line itself. Here, Barca lacked the final margins.
Barca maintained the pressure and the reward came in the 82nd minute when Balde was sent off deep. He sent the ball towards Lewandowski in the box, where Rayo’s Lejeune was unlucky to send it into his own net to make it 1-1. The hunt was set for one more goal, but Rayo fought and played physically in the attempt to keep the one point. The referee added seven minutes, but Barca were unable to finish before the final whistle. Thus, Xavi and his players disappointingly had to settle for the one point.
