Barcelona Drop First La Liga Points with 1-1 Draw at Rayo Vallecano

Key Takeaways:

• Barcelona played to a 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano in Madrid during the third round of La Liga
• Lamine Yamal converted a penalty in the 40th minute, while Fran Pérez equalised on 67 minutes
• Hansi Flick’s side slipped to fourth place, missing the chance to match Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao on points

Match Analysis

Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw by Rayo Vallecano at the Vallecas Stadium in the third round of the Spanish La Liga. The champions took the lead thanks to Lamine Yamal’s penalty just before the interval on 40 minutes, but Fran Pérez brought parity for the hosts in the 67th minute with a superb finish following a well-delivered corner from Isi Palazón.

The result meant Barcelona failed to capitalise on an opportunity to reach the top of the standings by goal difference, instead moving down to fourth. Rayo Vallecano remain mid-table after the encounter.

Team News and Line-ups

Barcelona entered the tie with midfielder Gavi sidelined through injury, as confirmed by head coach Hansi Flick. His absence extended beyond club football, excluding him from Spain’s World Cup qualifiers and ruling out an appearance in Sofia against Bulgaria. Fermin López, recently linked with a move away from the club, was included in the squad and introduced as a substitute in the 62nd minute in place of Dani Olmo. A notable change in goal saw Joan García start instead of Wojciech Szczęsny, who was named amongst the substitutes.

For Rayo Vallecano, head coach Iñigo Pérez fielded a settled side and called upon nearly 15,000 supporters at home for an atmospheric clash.

First-Half Drama

At Vallecas, the match started with a delay due to problems with the VAR system, which were not resolved in time for kickoff, so the game began without it. At the end of the first half, the Catalans were awarded a highly controversial penalty, converted by Lamine Yamal. Everyone expected VAR to review the decision made by referee Mateo Busquets, but he did not have the chance to watch a replay of the incident because the VAR system was not working at that moment.

🚨 Rayo fans are singing: "Corruption in the Federation. What a sh*tty league" after the cheap penalty given to Barcelona.

The referee rushed to give it after seeing Lamine on the ground.

— @Rodra10_97 pic.twitter.com/BG05c1nZQU

— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) August 31, 2025

Second-Half Developments and Key Moments

After the break, the Catalan side maintained control, spearheaded by Raphinha’s energy in attack. However, as the visitors relaxed their intensity, Rayo Vallecano seized the initiative. Inspired by the home crowd, the hosts forced an equaliser through Fran Pérez, whose effort from an Isi Palazón corner was a contender for goal of the autumn.

Rayo Vallecano nearly claimed all three points when Jorge de Frutos fired a dangerous effort from distance, foiled only by the excellent reflexes of Garcia in the Barcelona goal. Robert Lewandowski was introduced three minutes later to bolster Barcelona’s attack, but Iñigo Pérez’s charges held firm, fending off late pressure orchestrated by Yamal and Marcus Rashford as Barcelona searched in vain for a winner.

Match Statistics

Official Line-ups

Match Information

• Kickoff: August 31, 2025 (Sunday) | 21:30
• Stadium: Vallecas
• Referee: Mateo Busquets