Barcelona Player Ratings vs. Rayo Vallecano: Unlikely Source Makes Telling Contribution

The La Liga leaders were far from their best at Spotify Camp Nou.

A solitary goal proved to be the difference. | Josep LAGO/AFP/Getty Images

Barcelona labored their way to a 1–0 victory over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday afternoon, opening up a seven-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Hansi Flick’s started well enough and were seemingly on their way to a comfortable victory when Ronald Araujo rose highest from a set-piece to head Barça into a first-half lead.

However, Rayo, who sneaked into the Conference League quarterfinals on Thursday, came on strong after the restart and were an outstanding Joan García performance away from earning at least a point in Catalonia.

Barça were awful for much of the second half, losing control, and Flick, despite the buffer his team now have at the summit ahead of the Madrid Derby, will undoubtedly be scathing of his side’s display.

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One Thing We Can’t Ignore

Hansi Flick opted against shuffling his team around. | Javier Borrego/Europa Press/Getty Images

When Barcelona suffer under Flick, fatigue is usually attributed as the leading cause. In such a high-octane and demanding system, there’s little room for error out of possession. When Barça are tired, teams exploit their aggressive defensive line at will.

This was again an issue on Sunday after a bright enough start, and you do wonder whether Flick’s decision to go all out in terms of team selection could come back to bite the Blaugrana at a later date. It’s not just the La Liga title they’re after this season, but a first Champions League crown since 2015, too.

Flick opted for just one change to his starting lineup from Wednesday’s blitz past Newcastle United, and the only player to come in, match-winner Araujo, played more than an hour midweek. Essentially, it was an unchanged team.

This XI, given the players missing, must be regarded by the manager as his strongest, with the decision not to rotate potentially down to the margin Barça could’ve opened up at the summit. Instead of resting a few key men with events post-international break considered, Flick merely thought about the here and now, which is understandable, but the lack of rotation was/is a risk.

A leggy Blaugrana just about got away with it here.

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Barcelona Player Ratings vs. Rayo Vallecano (4-2-3-1)

Araujo celebrates the opening goal. | Javier Borrego/Europa Press/Getty Images

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Joan García—8.8: Avoiding a major injury on Wednesday, García kept his place in the starting lineup and ensured Barcelona claimed all three points by producing multiple outstanding stops.

RB: Ronald Araújo—8.4: Araujo has undoubtedly come back stronger since returning from his mental health break in January. He’s playing some of the best soccer he’s played in a long while, and the captain proved to be the match-winner on Sunday.

CB: Pau Cubarsí—7.0: There was one particularly stellar sliding tackle in the opening period that enlivened Camp Nou, but Cubarsi was otherwise pretty indifferent. Also received a booking.

CB: Gerard Martín—7.5: Martín is keener than the rest of his defensive line to drop, and issues arise when he sinks too early. Still, the left-footed defender was comfortable for the most part, offering the occasional burst forward with the ball, too.

LB: João Cancelo—8.6: Barcelona are coping without Alejandro Balde thanks to Cancelo, who remains a remarkable technician. The versatile full back teed up Araujo’s goal with a teasing in-swinging corner to the back post.

DM: Pedri—8.6: Rayo’s astuteness without the ball meant he didn’t have it all his own way, but Pedri was still the man Barça turned to in order to get up the pitch. Some of his work in the face of pressure was utterly sublime.

DM: Marc Bernal—7.4: Like Pedri, Bernal had a few issues against this Rayo team, and wasn’t able to contribute much in the opposition’s box, as he’s often been able to over the past month.

RW: Lamine Yamal—7.4: A quieter outing for Yamal, but we were still treated to a few sequences of mesmerizing wing play. The sensational young Spaniard was perhaps fortunate not to receive a pair of bookings.

AM: Fermín López—7.0: Before the seemingly obligatory switch with Dani Olmo, López sparkled in moments and produced a sumptuous swivel in the first half to get past Pathé Ciss that undoubtedly would’ve been condemned by apparent half-turn hater Pep Guardiola.

LW: Raphinha—7.1: Remarkable that he didn’t find the back of the net, given the form he’s in. Raphinha certainly should’ve made the most of a one-on-one opportunity in the opening stages, a chance that he created through hard work out of possession.

ST: Robert Lewandowski—6.1: The veteran striker is struggling to offer much to this Barcelona team when he’s not scoring, and he didn’t get a sniff of Rayo’s goal before he was withdrawn at half-time.

SUB: Ferran Torres (46’ for Lewandowski)—6.3: Ran around plenty without doing all that much. His struggles continue.

SUB: Dani Olmo (61’ for López)—6.3: So wasteful despite space often opening up. A poor cameo, overall.

SUB: Marc Casadó (61’ for Bernal)—6.4: Steady enough, but he looks like a discernible downgrade on Bernal.

SUB: Marcus Rashford (83’ for Yamal)—N/A

SUB: Xavi Espart (90’ for Cancelo)—N/A

Subs not used: Diego Kochen (GK), Wojciech Szczęsny (GK), Álvaro Cortés, Gavi, Tommy Marqués, Roony Bardghji, Eric García.

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What the Ratings Tell Us

Lewandowski was withdrawn at half-time. | Javier Borrego/Europa Press/Getty Images

• Robert Lewandowski may have struck twice midweek, with one of his goals taken superbly, but there was little to note by way of contribution elsewhere, and it was more of the same from the Pole on Sunday. Barcelona’s attacking work seems to function around the striker, rather than through him. He was hooked after an insipid opening 45 minutes, and only Ferran Torres’ downturn in form is keeping him in the team.
• Barcelona are fortunate that their outstanding young goalkeeper made a swift recovery from Wednesday’s knock. Without Joan García between the posts, Rayo surely would’ve escaped Camp Nou with a point at least. García has just been called up to the Spain squad for the first time, and must surely be considered for the starting role at the World Cup this summer, despite stiff competition.
• The club’s decision to bring back João Cancelo in the winter has been vindicated. In the absence of Alejandro Balde, Barça’s left-hand side hasn’t proven dormant, as it once was when their flying left back was out of action. Cancelo contrasts drastically in profile to Balde, but he’s enjoying this role in Flick’s framework.

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The Numbers That Explain Barcelona’s Fortunate Victory

Raphinha somehow didn’t add to his goal tally. | Javier Borrego/Europa Press/Getty Images

• The visitors bettered Barcelona 1.89 to 1.36 on xG, and also created two more big chances than the hosts.
• Barça crafted a measly 0.29 xG in the second half, depicting their wastefulness in transition.
• Rayo were able to spring successfully on the counterattack, enjoying just 39% of the possession but offering more of an attacking threat than Hansi Flick’s side.

Statistic	Barcelona	Rayo Vallecano
Possession	61%	39%
Expected Goals (xG)	1.36	1.89
Total Shots	15	8
Shots on Target	4	4
Big Chances	3	5
Passing Accuracy	86%	76%
Fouls Committed	12	11
Corners	6	9

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