Barcelona 1 - 0 Rayo Vallecano recap - A jaded Barca scrape past Rayo thanks to Ronald Araujo first-half header

Despite a weary and ragged performance, Barcelona maintained their 100% La Liga home record to go seven points clear of Real Madrid - until later on Sunday at least. The Catalan giants scraped past strugglers Rayo thanks to a first half goal from Ronald Araujo and several spectacular saves from their goalkeeper, who had been doubtful for the game after going off injured in mid-week.

Indeed, Joan Garcia was called into action as early as the opening minute. Josep Chavarria made a darting run down the left to receive the ball over the top and break open the Barca defence. He whipped a low cross into Fran Perez in the middle where the striker could only hit his point-blank shot straight at Garcia.

A succession of defensive mistakes from Rayo culminated in Barcelona taking the lead on 24 minutes. An inswinging Cancelo corner sailed over every defender, including a flat-footed Pathe Ciss, where it was met by the downward directing head of Ronald Araujo, against the inside of the post and in. 

Barcelona seemed satisfied to sit on their lead in the second half, offering little innovation or imagination on the ball. Rayo came closer to equalising than the home side were to maintaining their record of three or more goals at Camp Nou in 2026. On the hour mark, Garcia was required to make his second spectacular save of the game when a Rayo corner found an unmarked Unai Lopez at the same post Araujo scored from for Barca. An extraordinary reach from Garcia tipped the header away from goal and maintained the home side’s advantage.

Rayo’s most gilt-edged opportunity came 20 minutes later, when Rayo cracked open the high Barcelona back line. Pasha Espino found himself one-on-one with Garcia but put the ball past the far post when it was easier to at least hit the target.

Garcia rescued Barca for the final time on 89 minutes. De Frutos put his laces through a shot that seemed destined for the far left corner of the goal. Good height and a goalkeeper at full stretch, on top form, was all that kept it out, and Barcelona on top.

Three points closer to the title, Barca’s 100% home record never looked more under threat. Rayo, for their part, ought to draw confidence from a game they could, and perhaps should, have taken more from.

As long as the ball is in their half, Barca are happy. They haven't played well today.

He goes in with the full blooded challenge against the lively legs of Marcus Rashford.

Rayo will like that. Barca will not.

De Frutos with the cleaner than clean, chest high left-footed shot that's headed for the net. Garcia's fingertips rescue Barca once more. Their 100% record has never looked more under threat this season.

Not a clear goal scoring chance, and not dangerous, so it's just a yellow, but there must have been a moment where he imagined a different colour coming out.

This is not the Hansi Flick side with which we're so familiar. They're under the cosh.

Rayo defeat the Barcelona high line and suddenly it's four on three. Espino only has the goalkeeper to beat, but hesitates and sends his shot past the left corner of the post. The equalizer was begging. I don't think they'll get another chance as good as that.

The goalkeeper tries to play football, and fails. Rayo get away with it, but only just. That was only a bit embarrassing, when it could have been very.

Aiming for the head of Florian Lejeune but Garcia gets enough on it to knock it away.

Telling the crowd not to use whistles, which can be mistaken by players for that of the referee. You can guess how the fans respond to that instruction.

And the card-happy ref reaches into his pocket for the sixth time. Three-apiece.

As he catches Marc Casado inside the Barcelona half, he won't get away with too many of those.

It skids from right to left and just past the post.

And the referee brandishes another card, this time for Pathe Ciss.

And Fran Perez receives a yellow card for going in on Joao Cancelo.

The corner from Isi finds Unai Lopez at the near post, whose free header looks destined for goal but for the intervention from the goalkeeper.

Who doesn't look thrilled about the change, knocking the bottle offered to him out of the staff member's hand. Another change is a Marc for Marc, as Casado replaces Bernal.

Jorge de Frutos brought on for Pedro Diaz, with Unai Lopez swapping in for Gerard Gumbau.