Barcelona shipwrecks in Vallecas at night and with good grass

He Barcelona He has once again kneeled in Vallecas. The sun and the grass are not worth it as excuses: the culés have lost (2-1) against a great Ray, who came to take a two-goal advantage on the scoreboard thanks to goals from Álvaro García and Fran García. In fact, Andoni Iraola’s men -the Basque coach seems to have taken the measure of Barça- hardly suffered to maintain their advantage against an opponent who was only able to close the gap in the 83rd minute through Robert Lewandowski.

Despite the schedule, ten o’clock on a working Wednesday night, Vallecas wore one of his best clothes to receive the leader of the League. The franjirrojo team took to the pitch with very clear ideas and willing to be the protagonist with the ball, just like their rival, who, despite the Pedro’s returnhe was very subdued on the offensive line.

Rayo warned of his intentions after 16 minutes with a low shot from Sergio Camello that Ter Stegen cleared, and just a few moments later, the same protagonist won the ball from Gavi in ​​a fight, started the race towards the interior and, when reach the edge of the area, gave way to the left so that alvaro garcia An unappealable cross shot is fired at the German porter. 1-0 on the scoreboard.

Barça were able to tie shortly after after a quick play that ended in a one-on-one between Lewandowski and Dimitrievski that the Macedonian goalkeeper cleared. Iraola’s good tactical approach dismasted Barcelona, ​​which had no depth. Raphinha and Ferrán Torres barely came into play to be decisive in the last meters, partly due to the good work of Catena and Lejeune, who put a wall in the center of the Rayista defense.

The rest did not suit Barça and Xavi’s men again found themselves surpassed in intensity by Rayo. Proof of this was the second goal, which came after a loss by Frenkie De Jong: the Dutchman did not control well in midfield, he stole the ball fran garciawho started the race like an arrow towards the goal and, when he came face to face with Ter Stegen, crossed his shot low.

That goal made Xavi desperate and ended up sinking Barcelona against a Rayo that came up in search of the third goal. Xavi moved his bench: with Ansu Fati and Kessié he improved his game, coming to close the gap in the 83rd minute with a goal from a killer from Lewandowski al pick up a dead ball in the area to shoot Dimitrievski.

Those were the worst moments for Rayo against an imprecise Barça in the final meters and that did not find the necessary arguments to overcome the always impetuous franjirrojo team. The culés maintain the advantage of eleven points over Real Madrid, while Atlético, who has knocked down Mallorca (3-1) on the day of their 120th anniversary, is 13 behind the head. El Rayo, with 43 points, already has salvation practically assured.

Datasheet

Rayo Vallecano, 2: Dimitrievsky; Balliu, Catena, Lejeune, Fran Garcia; Unai López (Chavarría, m.80), Óscar Valentín (Mumin, m.88); Isi, Trejo (Pathé Ciss, m.63), Álvaro García (Salvi, m.80); and Camel (From Tomás, m.88)
FC Barcelona, ​​1: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Araujo, Marcos Alonso (Jordi Alba, m.57), Balde; Frenkie de Jong (Eric Garcia, m.79), Pedri (Kessie, m.68), Gavi (Pablo Tower, m.79); Leaves, Ferran Torres (Ansu Fati, 87) and Lewandowski

Goals: 1-0: M.18 Alvaro Garcia; 2-0: M.52 Fran Garcia; 2-1: M.83 Lewandowski
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano (Extremadura Committee). He admonished Dimitrievski (90), from Rayo; already Balde (32), Jordi Alba (34), Gavi (36), Raphinha (61), from Barcelona
Incidences: match corresponding to day 31 of the Santander League, played at the Vallecas Stadium in front of some 14,000 spectators