Barcelona rescued some extent in opposition to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga with a 1-1 draw on Saturday afternoon, however will anticipate to lose floor on Girona and Actual Madrid by the top of the weekend.
Unai Lopez scored a long-range drive within the first half to provide Rayo what was in all probability a deserved lead on the time, earlier than Florian Lejeune inadvertently turned the ball into his personal web within the closing levels to make sure the factors could be shared at Vallecas.
Having been crushed in three of their earlier 4 encounters with Vallecano, Barca are nonetheless looking for their first La Liga win over their Madrid-based bogey crew in over 4 years.
How the sport unfolded
Though Barca managed the early ball, Rayo began the brighter and had the perfect possibilities within the opening exchanges. Isi Palazon’s shot induced issues when it dipped proper in entrance of Inaki Pena, main the Barca stopper to spill the ball – Jorge de Frutos was agonisingly near the rebound. Rayo captain Oscar Valentin additionally examined Pena with a roller after Frenkie de Jong was caught out.
Barca didn’t ask a query of Stole Dimitrievski on the different finish till quarter-hour had elapsed – even then, Pedri’s try was a cushty save. Moments earlier, Rayo had what would have been delicate penalty claims firmly waved away after a problem from Ferran Torres.
Rayo’s promising begin had really light by the point Lopez put the house aspect forward shortly earlier than half-time – even so, Barca hadn’t made essentially the most of that other than a couple of flashes from Lamine Yamal. The purpose was one thing to behold, with Lopez initially enjoying a large free-kick into the field, however because it fell again to him after a blocked shot, he unleashed a low, speculative effort that caught Pena without warning.
Xavi was irritated within the technical space, with claims that offside gamers had been interfering with play, however the purpose appeared honest in actual time and was allowed to face after a VAR evaluation.
It may have gotten worse earlier than the interval too, with Alejandro Balde hooking away De Frutos’ teasing ball into the field in stoppage time as two Rayo gamers closed in.
Barca went shut proper after the second half started when Joao Cancelo’s shot was solely simply too excessive, whereas Pedri ought to have completed higher with a headed likelihood from Robert Lewandowski’s cross. Xavi additionally wasted little time in altering issues up, changing the extra defensive-minded Oriol Romeu with Ilkay Gundogan and in addition turning to Joao Felix in bid to provide his crew extra creativity.
However relatively than Barca making an attempt to select their method by the center, increasingly crosses had been going into the field. Apart from Pedri, Torres and Inigo Martinez each additionally didn’t convert headers.
Raphinha practically made an prompt impression off the bench when he lower in from the correct and struck the foot of the put up from distance. Dimitrievski reacted simply in time to cease the rebound from trickling over the road and the ball was cleared in Rayo’s first actual second of panic greater than 75 minutes in.
Though Barca had began to carve increasingly half possibilities, the equaliser was fortuitous the best way it went in. It was nonetheless the results of two sensible balls to get to that time, with Martinez setting Balde free down the left and the full-back exactly guiding the ball in the direction of Lewandowski within the field. Lejeune acquired there first however, in making an attempt to clear the hazard, scored past his personal goalkeeper.
GK: Inaki Pena – 5/10 – Maybe may have completed higher with the Rayo purpose.
RB: Joao Cancelo – 6/10 – Put up some good numbers on paper by way of passes and duels, nevertheless it did not translate to creating a real impression on the grass.
CB: Andreas Christensen – 6/10 – Saved his composure in defensive conditions and handed with care.
CB: Inigo Martinez – 7/10 – Made some importanrt defensive interventions and his distribution was immediately answerable for the equaliser.
LB: Alejandro Balde – 7/10 – Clear intention to get ahead to attempt to assault and acquired a vital help. Additionally pulled off an essential defensive clearance that stopped Rayo going 2-0 up within the first half.
CM: Oriol Romeu – 6/10 – Secure with the ball and good at providing defensive safety, though it gave Barca treasured little going the opposite method.
CM: Frenkie de Jong – 5/10 – Not incisive sufficient and was caught on the ball to surrender an opportunity within the first half. The cobwebs confirmed simply over two months after his final look.
CM: Pedri – 5/10 – Celebrating his twenty first birthday. Wanted to hit the goal with an excellent headed likelihood, nevertheless it’s clear he nonetheless is not again to his finest after harm troubles.
RW: Lamine Yamal – 6/10 – Arguably Barca’s brightest spark in a poor first half from the crew, however had light by the point he was withdrawn.
ST: Robert Lewandowski – 5/10 – Service was sorely missing for essentially the most half. Nonetheless, the equaliser would have been his purpose had Lejeune not touched it first.
LW: Ferran Torres – 5/10 – Not sufficient impression. Solely touched the ball 25 occasions.
Substitutes
SUB: Joao Felix (55′ for Torres) – 5/10
SUB: Ilkay Gundogan (55′ for Romeu) – 6/10
SUB: Fermin Lopez (75′ for Pedri) – 5/10
SUB: Raphinha (75′ for Yamal) – 7/10
Subs not used: Ander Astralaga (GK), Aron Yaakobishvili (GK), Ronald Araujo, Marcos Alonso, Jules Kounde, Unai Hernandez, Aleix Garrido
Supervisor
Xavi – 7/10 – It wasn’t working within the first half and the adjustments, each tactical and personnel, made his crew play higher to a minimum of declare some extent.
