Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano result: Alvaro Garcia goal dooms toothless Barcelona to third straight home defeat

Kyle Bonn

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Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano result: Alvaro Garcia goal dooms toothless Barcelona to third straight home defeat image

As Barcelona roared through February and March, it seemed that Xavi had begun to finally reap the benefits of his early managerial tenure. Just weeks later, it’s all come undone again.

Alvaro Garcia’s early goal was enough to resign Barcelona to a third straight home defeat as Rayo Vallecano emerged 1-0 victors, leaving Barcelona yet unable to confirm a Champions League place. The hosts were baffled for much of the match by the heroic Rayo defending and goalkeeping, with precious few chances to equalize throughout the match.

The biggest opportunity came early in stoppage time as Gavi was barreled over by Alejandro Catena in the penalty area, but the referee mystifyingly refused to intervene, and neither did VAR. The Barcelona attacking trio of Ferran Torres, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Ousmane Dembele who were so prolific through the early spring were toothless and unable to urge the hosts to a result.

Prior to last week, Barcelona had not lost two straight home matches since 2003, but now the likes of Eintracht Frankfurt, Cadiz, and Rayo Vallecano have humbled the Catalan giants. There is much soul-seeking for Xavi to do down the stretch of the season without the injured Pedri, Sergi Roberto, and Gerard Pique as they look to secure a spot in next year’s Champions League.

Rayo Vallecano, meanwhile, completes a dream double over Barcelona, having won earlier in the season at home as well. An early goal followed by an utterly heroic defensive performance, just how it was drawn up.

MORE: How many goals has Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored since moving to Barcelona?

Sporting News will be following the match live and providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.

Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano live score

  1H 2H Final
Barcelona 0 0 0
Rayo Vallecano 1 0 1

Goals:
7th min — RV — Alvaro Garcia

Commentary:

FULL-TIME: Barcelona 0-1 Rayo Vallecano

A sloppy finish to a sloppy match, Barcelona slumps to a third straight home defeat, and the game in hand over Atletico Madrid in the La Liga table vanishes with no return.

It's a horrible performance from the Catalan club, as the attack was toothless until the end and the defense breached. Injuries have taken a toll on this club, but there are no excuses for losing to Cadiz and Rayo Vallecano in back-to-back matches at home without a goal scored.

On the flip side, a heroic performance from Rayo who got an early goal and absorbed pressure the rest of the way. Even a point here would have been celebrated, but a road win at the Camp Nou to complete the season double over Barcelona is what dreams are made of.

90+12 min: One last Barcelona chance results in the hosts being turned away as Ciss blocks a Dembele shot off the line. Moments later, Gavi yanks down a Rayo attacker who was free on goal just past the halfway line, and is lucky only to receive yellow for what probably should have been a clear last-man foul. The youngster is lucky.

90+10 min: CHANCE, Rayo Vallecano! Barcelona, pouring numbers forward, left the back door open and substitute Ciss clatters the post! It's a letoff for Barcelona as Rayo could have made the inevitable look much worse.

90+3 min: CHANCE, Barcelona! WHAT A SAVE! Adama Traore clowns two or three defenders cutting in from the right and lets rip from close range, but Dimitrievski is there to cut off the near post again. A huge chance for the hosts.

90th min: CONTROVERSY! Well, now it's all getting out of control. Gavi latches onto a Ferran Torres delivery and Catena barges over the Barcelona midfielder from behind. It's quite a clear penalty, and the referee makes no call. The Barcelona players are INCENSED, and understandably so. There's a yellow card for dissent somewhere in there as well, hard to tell to who.

VAR has also let that one go, shockingly. Barcelona harshly done by.

86th min: Palazon is now booked by the official for trying to re-enter the pitch before he's been allowed. Then Rayo's assistant coach is sent off for trying to argue the caution. All a bit of theater.

80th min: Memphis takes a venomous shot from distance that's an awkward one for Dimitrievski, but the Rayo goalkeeper gets a slight touch to keep Barcelona out. On the ensuing corner, Dimitrievski gets a roaring punch to the delivery. The Macedonian is having a wonderful match.

Moments later, Luuk de Jong goes for glory with a bicycle kick, and Palazon again comes roaring in to head it out of play, a dangerous one with de Jong looking for the overhead kick. Palazon is down and needs treatment.

76th min: Adama Traore is also on the pitch from among the substitutes, and his cross for de Jong nearly finds the head of the towering Dutchman, but Isi Palazon comes flying in to head it out of play at the last moment. Rayo defending heroically throughout the first three quarters of this match.

70th min: CHANCE, Barcelona! Memphis Depay, off the bench, crops up in the penalty spot unmarked and has a go from a dangerous chance, but Catena slides in to make a heroic block. Depay wants a handball call, but there's nothing there and the referee waves it away.

Luuk de Jong comes on for Aubameyang. Dimitrievski goes down and gets medical treatment, hard to tell if it's gamesmanship or a real problem for Rayo, but either way, he gets a nice little mid-game massage of the quad for his efforts. Wish I could just lay on the carpet in my office and have people come give me an impromptu massage, must be nice...

67th min: Barcelona showing signs of frustration now. Unai Lopez throws a shoulder into Gavi marshaling the ball out of play, and Gavi is hilariously called for the foul. The young midfielder, understandably, is incensed with the call and with his opponent, and he has words for Lopez who yells back. Rayo Vallecano getting under Barcelona's skin.

64th min: If we're being honest, Barcelona has looked utterly toothless since halftime. The fans at the Camp Nou are getting restless. Kasey Keller on the ESPN+ broadcast talking about why the supporters are so frustrated, and that's never a good sign.

Oscar Valentin is down injured, and is replaced by creative force Oscar Trejo.

59th min: CHANCE, Barcelona! Ousmane Dembele now moves down the left to change things up and he gets free, but his fizzed cross to the near post is sent out for a corner by three white shirts that come flying in to meet it before Aubameyang could get there.

Memphis Depay is being readied on the sideline. Nico comes on for Frenkie de Jong who makes a slow, lonely walk to the sidelines, hooked off for the final half-hour.

55th min: Rayo makes its first two changes as Sergi Guardiola comes on alongside Pathe Ciss, with Randy Nteka and Santi Comesana coming off.

52nd min: Well, if Barcelona looked likely to score if the first half had another five minutes in it, that's not the case now. The hosts have started the second half with more possession, as expected, but there's very, very little going forward. The change from Dest to Garcia is a defensive one, and now Dembele has very little support on the right flank. The game has grinded to a halt.

Sure enough, Dembele bursts forward down the right, but instead of Dest drawing defenders, Dembele has three white shirts hugging him on the touchline.

46th min: Back under way for the second half. One change made by Xavi, with Sergino Dest yanked for Clement Lenglet. Eric Garcia moves out right, which is quite the harsh — but deserved — indictment of Dest's poor first half.

HALFTIME: Barcelona 0-1 Rayo Vallecano

Boos ring around Camp Nou as the halftime whistle blows. Barcelona was stunned early by the Alvaro Garcia goal, and the hosts haven't managed to find a response.

There have been moments, though, and it does feel like Barcelona will draw level should this continue after the break. Rayo hasn't had anything forward since the goal, as the game's been played almost entirely in the Rayo half. Changes needed for both sides.

45th min: Ousmane Dembele does get the call this time at the top of the area on a three-on-two break. To be honest, I'm shocked that Dembele took it himself straight into two defenders rather than finding teammates who were wide open, but he wins the dangerous free-kick from almost straight-on...and it's Dembele with the awful delivery that goes miles over the crossbar.

43rd min: CHANCE, Barcelona! The ball's in the back of the net but the flag is up for offside. Ferran Torres scored a hilarious and scrappy looped goal that weirdly squeaks inside the far post, but he was well offside on the initial shot by Gavi that came off the crossbar. The closest Barcelona has come yet, as the hosts are poking and prodding at an equalizer. Halftime can't come soon enough for Rayo Vallecano.

40th min: Ousmane Dembele goes down and wants a foul at the edge of the penalty area, but the referee waves play on as Alejandro Catena is furious with the Frenchman. Replay confirms Catena's ire, as he stuck a leg out but Dembele easily dodged it before going down on his own late to try and win a foul. Dembele lucky to get away without being cautioned for simulation.

34th min: CHANCE, Barcelona! Rayo Vallecano nearly gifts Barcelona a horrendous goal! On a goal kick Dimitrievski plays it short to Nikola Maras whose heavy touch allows Aubameyang to charge it down right on the doorstep of the goal mouth. Dimitrievski could have caught it easily but decided to two-hand punch instead, which makes no sense. There's a mad scramble for the ball but Barcelona somehow can't manage a good shot before it's finally cleared. YIKES.

28th min: CHANCE, Barcelona! The hosts are turning the screw now. Gavi flicks the ball around Santi Comesana and goes down but the referee shakes his head no. Dembele then nearly finds Aubameyang but the cross is just a smidge too high for the Gabonese international to get good contact with his head.

VAR had a quick nibble at the Gavi penalty shout but there's hardly any contact at all. It's poor from the young Barcelona midfielder, as he had produced a wonderful bit of skill to get around the defender but then chose to go down under hardly any contact at all rather than continue the move.

Xavi is arguing intensely and goes into the referee's book as a result. Oscar Valentin is down injured and requires treatment, but he's back on.

24th min: CHANCE, Barcelona! A perfect encapsulation of this game so far for Barcelona as Busquets plays Dembele in down the right but the Frenchman can't control it and a heavy touch ends the chance.

Moments later Rayo gives the ball away at the top of the box, and it takes a big block to keep the first shot out before Jordi Alba sends a curler just inches wide of the top-right corner. The best chance so far for the hosts.

22nd min: Rayo is now sitting deep after scoring the opener, and Barcelona has absolutely nothing in the attack. The hosts are most often looking to attack down the right, but Rayo is incredibly well-structured defensively. When Barcelona looks to attack through the middle, there's utterly nothing in it.

Barcelona sure could use this young pair in the buildup, but sadly they're sidelined with injuries, and Pedri is definitely out for the remainder of the season.

11th min: Barcelona in attack mode after going behind, taking to the air to try and penetrate Rayo Vallecano's defense, but crosses from Busquets from deep and Dest from wide right are both cleared well.

Moments later Barcelona has a number of touches inside the six-yard box, a dangerous chance, but Ronald Araujo can only get a weak effort off that rolls right into the arms of Stole Dimitrievski.

7th min: GOAL! Rayo Vallecano! Oh my word, out of NOTHING Alvaro Garcia has the opening goal and the Nou Camp is STUNNED! A totally speculative long ball to Garcia one-on-one with Sergio Dest results in Barcelona going behind.

The American with some utterly woeful defending, it has to be said, allowing Garcia to latch onto the long-ball and then have the space to shoot. Ter Stegen being beaten at his near post is also extremely poor, as there was nowhere else for Garcia to go.

4th min: Barcelona controlling possession early on, with one early half-chance as Aubameyang charged into the box but his looped cross was over everyone's head. Not much possession for Rayo so far.

1st min: We're under way! Two teams in very different places than last time they met, when Rayo came away victorious. The visitors have won just once in history at the Camp Nou in 18 tries.

14 mins before kick: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been the main man for Barcelona in the attack since joining in January. The hosts will be looking to feed him in front of net yet again today.

60 mins before kick: Lineups are in, and there's a surprise for Barcelona as Ronald Arajuo, who came off injured just days ago, is fit enough to start. Eric Garcia does remain in for Gerard Pique, however, as the Barcelona legend is only able to make the bench due to injury. American full-back Sergino Dest starts as expected, in place of the Dani Alves who is also on the bench.

There's a surprise on the Rayo Vallecano side as well, as Sergi Guardiola and Oscar Trejo are rested, with Randy Nteka and Unai Lopez preferred up front. For the second straight match, Radamel Falcao is on the bench, and could be a substitute option.

85 mins before kick: The last time Barcelona lost two matches in a row at the Camp Nou, Luis Enrique was captain and Xavi was a 23-year-old in the team. The second loss of that pair came against eventual Champions League runners-up Juventus.

With two defeats at home now breaking that run, can Rayo Vallecano make it a third?

120 mins before kick (6:00 p.m. local): Ahead of the match today, Barcelona boss Xavi called Rayo Vallecano a "complicated" opponent, which is about right for a club that showed its worth the first half of the season but has fallen off the cliff since.

Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano lineups

Barcelona may have collected all three points last time out against Real Sociedad, but it came at a high price.

Players dropped like flies at Reale Arena, with Barcelona's entire defensive unit suffering injuries at one point or another, three of which were eventually substituted off. Gerard Pique, who heroically made it to the 80th minute of the match despite being injured in the first half, is not expected to be available for today's match despite being included in the squad, while Ronald Araujo is also not an option. That means Eric Garcia and Clement Lenglet will line up as the center-back partnership.

Dani Alves was also injured in the match against La Real and is replaced by Sergino Dest.

Otherwise, the Barcelona lineup should remain unchanged, with Pedri missing for the rest of the season thanks to an injury, and Ansu Fati still not quite ready to return from his long-term layoff.

MORE: Full recap & commentary of Barcelona's costly win over Real Sociedad

Barcelona starting lineup (4-3-3): ter Stegen (GK) — Alba, Garcia, Araujo, Dest – F. de Jong, Busquets, Gavi – Torres, Aubameyang, Dembele.

Barcelona subs (11): Neto (GK), Mingueza, Alves, Pique, Lenglet, Puig, N. Gonzalez, Depay, Traore, L. de Jong, Braithwaite.

Unlike the opponents, Rayo Vallecano is a relatively healthy side for this late in the season. Martin Merquelanz and Esteban Saveljich are sidelined with injuries, and Radamel Falcao is only just back, returning as an unused substitute last time out after seven league matches out and again on the bench today. Otherwise, the squad is at full strength.

Ivan Balliu is back from suspension and slots in at right-back, taking the place of Mario Hernandez.

Rayo's most influential player is Alvaro Garcia who lines up on the left wing. His combination of goalscoring ability and creative energy has produced the team's best combination of finishing and feeding in the attack.

Usually, Oscar Trejo is utilized through the middle and is tied for third in La Liga with nine assists on the season, but he is rested in favor of Unai Lopez. Also rested is striker Sergi Guardiola, who is sat to make way for Randy Nteka who leads the lines.

Rayo Vallecano starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Dimitrievski (GK) — F. Garcia, Catena, Maras, Balliu — Valentin, Comesana — A. Garcia, Lopez, Palazon — Nteka.

Rayo Vallecano subs (10): Zidane (GK), Suarez, M. Hernandez, Rodrigues, Ciss, Trejo, Guardiola, Falcao, Sylla, Bebe.

How to watch Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano

  UK USA Canada Australia
Date Sun, Apr. 24 Sun, Apr. 24 Sun, Apr. 24 Mon, Apr. 25
Time 20:00 BST 15:00 ET 15:00 ET 05:00 AET
TV channel La Liga TV — TSN1 beIN Sports 2
Streaming Amazon Prime ESPN+ TSN Direct bein Connect

The La Liga match between Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano can be found across the globe.

In the United States, the match is broadcast by ESPN on its premium streaming service ESPN+. In the United Kingdom, Amazon Prime has the rights to La Liga streaming, while it is also broadcast on La Liga TV.

In Canada, TSN is the broadcast partner for La Liga, while beIN Sports is the partner for Australia.

Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano betting lines, picks & prediction

Odds via DraftKings (USA) & Sports Interaction (Canada)

Barcelona is the heavy favorite in the match, but the oddsmakers expect goals to come from this game as well.

That's not surprising given the team profiles. Rayo Vallecano is 14th in the league table, but is 10th in expected goals this season in La Liga. The team has been insanely unlucky through its losing streak, with dropped points against Granada, Valencia, Alaves, Sevilla, Cadiz, Osasuna, Celta Vigo, and Athletic all in games where the opponent outperformed their expected goals output.

Combine that with the defensive injuries to Barcelona, and the match could produce an exciting 90 minutes for neutral fans.

  USA
(DraftKings)		 Canada
(Sports Interaction)		 UK
(SkyBet)
Barcelona Win -330 -323 +230
Draw +475 +440 +250
Rayo Vallecano Win +850 +720 +110
Over / Under
3.5 goals		 +135 / -160 +128 / -164 -125 / -110
Both teams
to score Y / N		 -120 / -110 -128 / -122 -165 / +120
Barcelona -1.5 -110 -116 -
Rayo Vallecano +1.5 +100 -110 -

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.