Rayo Vallecano 1-1 FC Barcelona: Lamine and Joan García salvage a point in the Vallecas potato field

FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano drew in the match that closed matchday 3 of LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26 (1-1). The team led by Hansi Flick avoided defeat thanks to a goal from Lamine Yamal and saves from Joan García. Given the context of the match, the point ends up being very valuable, although the 'culés', collectively, were well below their usual level.

In a Vallecas in deplorable conditions, especially regarding the state of the pitch, both teams went for the victory from minute 1. Far from betting on a defensive retreat, Rayo proposed a give-and-take match, trying to take advantage of the reduced dimensions of the field and a pitch that affected the clean passing that characterizes the 'culés'.

Barça would go into the break with an advantage thanks to the magic of Lamine Yamal. The '10', again, carried the weight of the 'azulgrana' attack, but if it weren't for the interventions of Joan García, the Catalans would have returned home empty-handed. The '13' closed the matchday with 5 saves, being the MVP of the match.

Lamine Yamal's magic unlocked a very tough match for Barça

Lamine Yamal celebrating his goal in Vallecas against Rayo

Hansi Flick tweaked his defense with the entries of Andreas Christensen and Jules Koundé for Ronald Araujo and Pau Cubarsí. However, the locals generated a lot of danger, especially on the left, demanding Joan García on a couple of occasions.

The first half hour had clear opportunities for both teams. Lamine tested Batalla's reflexes in the 4th minute, with a shot that the Argentine goalkeeper saved in two stages. The goalkeeper committed a childish error in the 7th minute, but Raphinha, instead of assisting Ferran Torres, got carried away with the ball, wasting a key one-on-one.

The locals reacted with an anticipation from Álvaro García to Koundé that was neutralized by Joan García with a great save. After the initial quarter of an hour, the main referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer notified the captains of both teams that he had lost connection with the VAR.

The match continued with many inaccuracies from both sides as a result of the irregular bounces that the ball gave on the pitch. When uncertainty reigned in the result, Lamine Yamal rubbed the lamp. The '10' got past two rivals and, when looking for space to take a left-footed shot, was brought down by Pep Chavarría inside the area.

Busquets Ferrer did not hesitate to whistle the penalty, despite the protests of the entire Rayo team. The player from Mataró asked for the ball and kicked it like the 'cracks' do: with confidence, opening his foot to deceive Batalla. It was his first official penalty with Barça in 109 official matches.

Fran Pérez equalized the match for Rayo in the second half

Hansi Flick's team could well have gone into the break with a two-goal lead, but Dani Olmo shot high from a pass from Koundé from the side. The '20' was in front of the goal, but hurried when finishing first time. After the break, the 22 starting players remained on the field. 

However, the coaching staff had to use the bench after a very poor quarter of an hour from the 'culés'. Marcus Rashford and Fermín López came on for Raphinha and Dani, respectively, both having a gray matchday in Vallecas.

Rayo was settling closer and closer to the Catalan area and, in the 67th minute, a corner from Izi Palazón from the left surprised the Barça defense. Fran Pérez, who had been on the field for less than ten minutes, anticipated Koundé to shoot Joan García with a remarkable volley, entering freely from the side.

Joan García rescued a point for Barça in Vallecas

Rayo came close again in the 73rd minute, with a one-on-one wasted by De Frutos. The striker could not beat Joan García, who quickly narrowed the angle to neutralize the danger with another great save.

Both coaches tweaked their lineups again, with Robert Lewandowski and Gerard Martín being Flick's chosen ones to seek a reaction in the final 12 minutes.

Barcelona only reacted with a header from Eric García slightly high in the 80th minute, after a corner served by Rashford. The Englishman created danger on the left, provoking a couple of corner kicks for the Catalans. 

In the 82nd minute, the second controversy of the night would arrive, again with Lamine and Chavarría as protagonists. The full-back risked it by putting his body on the '10', who fell inside the area, but this time there was no sentence from Mateo Busquets.

Already in added time, Joan García, by far the best for Barça, maintained the draw with a save of pure reflex to Fran Pérez. The rebound fell to Camello, but the striker tripped when trying to shoot and the '13' managed to keep the ball. 

For FC Barcelona, the visit to Madrid ends with a bittersweet draw, but it is still a valuable point considering the conditions in which it was played: horrible pitch, controversial refereeing and a always complicated rival. Flick's team goes into the break with 7 points out of 9 possible after three away games. On September 15, Barça will return home against Valencia.

Match details: Rayo Vallecano 1-1 FC Barcelona

• Rayo Vallecano, 1: Batalla; Ratiu, Lejeune, Luiz Felipe (Valentín, min. 76) , Chavarría; Pathe Ciss, Unai López (Fran Pérez, min. 59); Isi Palazón, Pedro Díaz, Álvaro García; Jorge de Frutos (Camello, min. 76).
• FC Barcelona, 1: Joan García; Koundé, Eric García, Christensen, Balde (Gerard Martín, min. 78); Frenkie de Jong, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Olmo (Fermín, min. 62), Raphinha (Rashford, min. 62); Ferran Torres (Lewandowski, min. 78).
• Goals: 0-1, Lamine Yamal (min. 40, p.); 1-1, Fran Pérez (min. 67)
• Referee: Mateo Busquets Ferrer. Booked Augusto Batalla, Óscar Trejo and Unai López for Rayo. Awarded a penalty for Pep Chavarría on Lamine Yamal in the first half. For Barça, he cautioned Jules Koundé.
• Stadium: Vallecas (Madrid)
• Incidents: match corresponding to matchday 3 of LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26.