Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano result: Alvaro Garcia's goal condemns toothless Barcelona to their third consecutive home defeat (2023)

As Barcelona raced through February and March, it seemed like Xavi had finally started reaping the rewards of his early tenure as manager. Only weeks later everything is undone.

Alvaro Garcia's early goal was enough to save Barcelona from a third straight home defeat as Rayo Vallecano emerged 1-0 victors and Barcelona were yet to confirm a Champions League spot. The hosts were stunned by Rayo's heroic defense and goalkeeping for much of the game and had few chances to equalize throughout the game.

The biggest opportunity came early in injury time when Gavi was run over by Alejandro Catena in the box but the referee mysteriously refused to intervene and neither did VAR. Barcelona's attacking trio of Ferran Torres, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ousmane Dembele, so successful in the spring, were toothless and unable to push the hosts to a result.

As of last week, Barcelona hadn't lost back-to-back home games since 2003 but now Eintracht Frankfurt, Cadiz and Rayo Vallecano have humiliated the Catalan giants. Xavi will have to do without the injured Pedri, Sergi Roberto and Gerard Pique for the whole season to secure a place in next year's Champions League.

Rayo Vallecano, meanwhile, completes a dream double against Barcelona after also winning at home earlier in the season. An early goal followed by an absolutely heroic defensive effort, as it should be.

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

Sporting News will be following the game live and will provide updated scores, commentary and highlights as they take place.

Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano Live Score

Goals:
7. Minute – RV – Alvaro Garcia

Comment:

FULL TIME: Barcelona 0-1 Rayo Vallecano

A sloppy end to a sloppy game, Barcelona collapse to a third straight home defeat and the game against Atletico Madrid in the La Liga table disappears with no return.

It's a terrible performance from the Catalan club as the attack was toothless to the end and the defense broke through. Injuries have taken their toll on this club, but there's no excuse for losing back-to-back home games against Cadiz and Rayo Vallecano without a goal.

On the other hand, a heroic performance from Rayo, who scored an early goal and absorbed pressure the rest of the way. Even a point here would have been celebrated but an away win at the Camp Nou to complete the doubles campaign against Barcelona is what dreams are made of.

Maybe some things haven't changed 🤷‍♂️pic.twitter.com/iS16waD1ai

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC)24. April 2022

90+12 minutes:One last chance for Barcelona sees the hosts rebuffed as Ciss blocks a Dembele shot off the line. Moments later, Gavi tears down a Rayo attacker who came free on target just past the halfway line and is lucky enough to receive only a yellow card in what probably should have been a clear last man foul. The youngster is lucky.

90+10 min: CHANCE, Rayo Vallecano!Barcelona pour numbers forward, leave the back door open and substitute Ciss slams the post! It's a disappointment for Barcelona as Rayo could have made the inevitable look a lot worse.

90+3 min: CHANCE, Barcelona!WHAT A SAVING! Adama Traore overplays two or three defenders coming in from the right and fires from close range, but Dimitrievski is back to slice off the near post. Huge chance for the hosts.

90. Min: CONTROVERSY!Well, now everything is getting out of hand. Gavi grabs a delivery from Ferran Torres and Catena charges over the Barcelona midfielder from behind. It's a pretty clear penalty and the referee doesn't decide. Barcelona players are outraged, and understandably so. There's also a yellow card for dissent somewhere in there, hard to tell who.

VAR shockingly let that one go too. Barcelona went through hard.

No pen for Barca 👀pic.twitter.com/lMC5x45if3

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC)24. April 2022

10 minutes at Anoeta, 11 at Camp Nou. 201 minutes from Barcelona in just 4 days.pic.twitter.com/3MHn3RqLip

– Manu Heredia (@ManuHeredia21)24. April 2022

86. Minute:Palazon is now cautioned by the official for attempting to re-enter the field before being allowed. Then Rayo's assistant coach is sent off for trying to argue the caution. All a bit of theatre.

80. Minute:Memphis unleashes a venomous shot from long-range that's awkward for Dimitrievski, but the Rayo keeper gets a light touch to keep Barcelona away. In the following corner, Dimitrievski gets a roaring hit on the delivery. The Macedonian has a wonderful match.

Moments later, Luuk de Jong goes to glory with an overhead kick and Palazon roars in again to head it out of the game, a dangerous one with de Jong waiting for the overhead kick. Palazon is down and needs treatment.

76. Minute:Adama Traore also comes on as a substitute and his cross for de Jong nearly hits the head of the towering Dutchman, but Isi Palazon flies in at the last moment to put him out of the game. Rayo defended heroically in the first three quarters of that game.

70. Minute: CHANCE, Barcelona!Memphis Depay, coming on from the bench, comes up unmarked at the penalty spot and tries from a dangerous chance, but Catena slips in to make a heroic block. Depay wants a handball call, but there is nothing and the referee waves it away.

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

67. Minute:Barcelona are now showing signs of frustration. Unai Lopez throws a shoulder at Gavi, who puts the ball out of bounds and Gavi is hilariously called out for the foul. The young midfielder is understandably outraged by the call and his opponent and he has words for Lopez, who shouts back. Rayo Vallecano gets under Barcelona's skin.

Since Frankfurt has been at Camp Nou, it's not like it used to be 🏟

📸: NurPhoto (Getty Images)#BarcaRayo #Barcelona #Camp Nou #XaviBall #Xavi pic.twitter.com/1j8CwxLhZ4

— Sport Brief (@sportsbriefcom)24. April 2022

64. Minute:If we're honest, Barcelona have looked completely toothless since half-time. Camp Nou fans are getting restless. Kasey Keller opens up on ESPN+ about why fans are so frustrated, and that's never a good sign.

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

59. Minute: CHANCE, Barcelona!Ousmane Dembele now moves to the left to change things up and he clears but his sizzling cross to the near post is sent for a corner by three white shirts flying in to meet him before Aubameyang can get there.

Memphis Depay gets groomed on the sidelines. Nico comes on for Frenkie de Jong, who takes a slow, lonely walk to the sidelines and is on the hook for the last half hour.

Frenkie doesn't look too happy there. Xavi plans for his midfield, with the 'insides' pushing far in front of the ball during the build-up, which isn't working well at the moment.

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan)24. April 2022

55. Minute:Rayo makes his first two substitutions as Sergi Guardiola comes in alongside Pathe Ciss with Randy Nteka and Santi Comesana getting out.

52. Minute:Well, if Barcelona were likely to score if there were five minutes left in the first half, that's not the case now. As expected, the hosts started the second half with more possession, but there is very little going forward. Dest's move to Garcia is a defensive one and now Dembele has very little support left on the right flank. The game has come to a standstill.

In fact, Dembele charges forward on the right flank, but instead of Dest dragging defenders, Dembele has three white shirts hugging him on the touchline.

😅 Xavi desperate...pic.twitter.com/q0Qz8QPM56

— BeSoccer (@besoccer_ES)24. April 2022

46. ​​Minute:Back to the second half. A change made by Xavi where Sergino Dest was drawn for Clement Lenglet. Eric Garcia moves to the right, which is a pretty harsh — but deserved — charge on Dest's poor first half.

HALFTIME: Barcelona 0-1 Rayo Vallecano

Boos rang out at the Camp Nou as the half-time whistle blew. Barcelona were stunned early on by Alvaro Garcia's goal and the hosts haven't managed to find an answer.

However, there were moments and it feels like Barcelona will equalize should it stay that way after the break. Rayo haven't moved forward since the goal as the game was played almost entirely in Rayo's half. Changes required for both sides.

10' – Álvaro García 🇪🇸 has equaled Joao Félix as the player with the most goals in the first 10 minutes of play#LaLigathis season (four for each). Fast#BarcelonaRayo #BarcaRayo⚡pic.twitter.com/pSeBltUnn0

— OptaJose (@OptaJose)24. April 2022

45. Minute:Ousmane Dembele gets the call at the top of the range with a three-on-two break this time. To be honest I'm shocked that Dembele put it straight into two defenders himself instead of finding teammates who were wide open, but he almost wins the dangerous free-kick straight ahead... and that's Dembele going with the terrible delivery miles over the bar.

43. Minute: CHANCE, Barcelona!The ball is in the back of the net but the flag is offside. Ferran Torres scored a hilarious and gruff loop goal that oddly squeaked in the far post, but he was wide offside for Gavi's first shot, which came off the bar. Barcelona are still closest as the hosts push and push for an equaliser. Halftime can't come soon enough for Rayo Vallecano.

40. Minute:Ousmane Dembele goes down wanting a foul on the edge of the box but the referee waves it on while Alejandro Catena is furious with the Frenchman. The replay confirms Catena's anger as he stretched out a leg but Dembele easily dodged him before going down late on his own to try and win a foul. Dembele is lucky to have escaped without being booked for simulation.

34. Minute: CHANCE, Barcelona!Rayo Vallecano almost gives Barcelona a horrendous goal! On a goal kick, Dimitrievski plays briefly to Nikola Maras, whose powerful touch allows Aubameyang to find him right on Tormund's doorstep. Dimitrievski could have easily caught it, but opted for a two-handed punch instead, which doesn't make sense. There's a mad scramble for the ball but Barcelona somehow can't get a good shot before it's finally cleared. whoops

28. Minute: CHANCE, Barcelona!The hosts are now turning the screw. Gavi flicks the ball around Santi Comesana and goes down but the referee shakes his head. Dembele then almost finds Aubameyang, but the cross is just a bit too high for the Gabonese international to get good contact with his head.

VAR quickly nibbled at Gavi's penalty call but there is little contact. It's bad from the young Barcelona midfielder as he had shown a wonderful bit of skill going around the defender but then opted to barely make contact rather than continue the move.

Xavi argues vigorously and goes into the referee's book. Oscar Valentin is injured on the ground and needs treatment, but he's back.

Damned. Rayo leading and Barcelona

– Sid Lowe (@sidlowe)24. April 2022

24. Minute: CHANCE, Barcelona!A perfect encapsulation of this game so far for Barcelona as Busquets plays Dembele down the right flank 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 save the first shot before Jordi Alba sends a curling iron inches from the top right corner. The best chance for the hosts so far.

22. Minute:Rayo is now sitting deep after scoring the opener and Barcelona have absolutely nothing in attack. The hosts try to attack down the right most often, but Rayo is incredibly structured defensively. When Barcelona try to attack through the middle, there's absolutely nothing in it.

Barcelona could certainly use this young couple in the build-up but unfortunately they are sidelined with injuries and Pedri is definitely out for the rest of the season.

📸 Ansu Fati and Pedri are already thinking about next season for Barcelona.pic.twitter.com/HNtQa48GAB

— Away (@ESPN_FDJ)24. April 2022

11. Minute:Barcelona in attack mode after falling behind and blowing up to pierce Rayo Vallecano's defence, but crosses from Busquets from deep and Dest from the far right are both cleared well.

Moments later, Barcelona have some touches in the six-yard box, a dangerous chance, but Ronald Araujo is only able to parry a weak shot that rolls straight into Stole Dimitrievski's arms.

7. Minute: Tor! Vallecano Ray!Oh my god, out of nowhere, Alvaro Garcia has the opening goal and the Nou Camp are stunned! A totally speculative long ball on Garcia in a tackle with Sergio Dest causes Barcelona to go behind.

It has to be said that the American has an extremely pathetic defense that allows Garcia to cling to the long ball and then has the space to shoot. That ter Stegen was hit at his near post is also extremely bad as Garcia had nowhere else to go.

Rayo Vallecano gets the start against Barcelona 😳pic.twitter.com/ciOmhnK8nQ

– ESPN+ (@ESPNPlus)24. April 2022

4. Minute:Barcelona controlled possession early, with an early half-chance when Aubameyang charged into the box, but his cross was over the heads. Not much possession for Rayo yet.

1. Minute:We are on the way! Two teams in very different places than the last time they met when Rayo came away victorious. The visitors have only won once in history at the Camp Nou, in 18 attempts.

14 minutes before the kick:Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been Barcelona's main man in attack since his January move. The hosts will try to feed him in front of the net again today.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞 goals in 𝟏𝟏 LaLiga games 😱

Can the striker add to his tally against Rayo Vallecano tonight? ⚽️pic.twitter.com/IELAHMRDGe

— Livescore (@livescore)24. April 2022

60 minutes before the kick:The line-ups are in and there is a surprise for Barcelona as Ronald Arajuo, who was substituted a few days ago injured, is fit enough to start. However, Eric Garcia remains in place for Gerard Pique as the Barcelona legend can only sit on the bench due to injury. As expected, American full-back Sergino Dest starts in place of Dani Alves, who is also on the bench.

There is also a surprise on the Rayo Vallecano side as Sergi Guardiola and Oscar Trejo are rested while Randy Nteka and Unai Lopez are favored up front. Radamel Falcao is on the bench for the second game in a row and could be a back-up option.

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

With two home losses now breaking that streak, can Rayo Vallecano manage to get a third?

Hallo 👋🏻

🏟 Camp Nou
⚽️ Barcelona with Rayo Vallecano
📍 ESPN+@ESPNPlus
📆 Matchday 21 (postponed)

✍️ Almost 20 years have passed since FC Barcelona last lost 2 games in a row here.pic.twitter.com/LXTQOfu8TD

— Gemma Soler (@gemma_soler)24. April 2022

120 minutes before the kick (18:00 local time):Ahead of today's game, Barcelona coach Xavi Rayo called Vallecano a "complicated" opponent, which is about right for a club that showed their worth in the first half of the season but have since fallen off the cliff.

🔊 Best thing Xavi had to say before today#BarçaRayo pic.twitter.com/ZdWAVTzLkZ

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)24. April 2022

Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano line-ups

Barcelona might have picked up all three points last time out against Real Sociedad but it came at a heavy cost.

Players were falling like flies at the Reale Arena and Barcelona's entire defense suffered injuries at one point or another, three of whom ended up being substituted.Gerhard Pique, who heroically came through to the 80th minute of the game despite a first-half injury, is unlikely to be available for tonight's game despite being included in the squadRonald Araujois also not an option. That meansEric GarciaAndClemens Lengletwill play as a central defender.

Daniel Alveswas also injured in the game againstThe realand is replaced bySergino goal.

Otherwise, the Barcelona line-up should remain unchangedPedriinjured for the remainder of the seasonAnsu Fatinot quite ready to return from his long layoff.

MORE:

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

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

Unlike the opposition, Rayo Vallecano is a relatively healthy side for this late season.Martin MerquelanzAndEsteban Saveljichare sidelined with injuries, andRadamel Falcaois just back, most recently returning as an unused substitute after seven league games and is back on the bench today. Otherwise the squad is at full strength.

Ivan Balliusis back after his suspension to take his place at right-backMario Hernandez.

Rayo's most influential player isalvaro garciawho positions himself on the left wing. His combination of goalscoring ability and creative energy has given the team the best combination of goal scoring and attacking work.

Normally,Oskar Trejois used through the middle and is third in La Liga with nine assists a season, but he's restedUnai Lopez. Striker is also restedSergi Guardiola, who sits to make roomRandy Ntekawho leads the lines.

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

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

Here's how to watch Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano

The La Liga game between Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano can be found all over the world.

In the United States, ESPN will broadcast the game on its premium streaming service ESPN+. In the UK, Amazon Prime owns the rights to La Liga streaming while it also airs 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, tips and predictions

Odds on DraftKings (USA) &Sports Interaction(You have)

Barcelona are the big favorites in this game but the odds makers expect goals from this game as well.

This is not surprising given the team profiles. Rayo Vallecano is 14th in the league table but 10th in expected goals in La Liga this season. The team was insanely unlucky with their losing streak, losing points to Granada, Valencia, Alaves, Sevilla, Cádiz, Osasuna, Celta Vigo and Athletic, all in games where the opposition exceeded their expected goals.

Combine that with Barcelona's defensive injuries and the game could be an exciting 90 minutes for neutral fans.