Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Barcelona AS IT HAPPENED - La Liga result as Fran Perez equalises after Lamine Yamal penalty amid VAR controversy

Joan Garcia’s heroic goalkeeping display rescued Barcelona a point as Hansi Flick’s team dropped their first points as defending champions, with Fran Perez’s 67th strike pegging back the LaLiga giants and earning Rayo Vallecano a well-deserved point at the Vallecas Stadium.

In a hotly contested battle between the two sides, it was Barca’s summer signing Garcia who would prove the difference as Rayo looked for an opening, with the former Espanyol goalkeeper scrambling across goal to make a point-blank save to deny Andrei Ratiu in the 13th minute.

Despite efforts to put the champions on the backfoot, the game-changing moment would come just before half-time when referee Mateo Busquets pointed to the spot, after noticing an entanglement between Lamine Yamal and Pep Chavarria, with the tricky Yamal getting the better of the Rayo left-back.

Despite much dispute on and off the pitch, the decision would stand with no intervention from VAR – it would later emerge that VAR was not working in the stadium. A short run-up by the 18-year-old saw Yamal send Batalla the wrong way, giving Barca the lead before the break.

An unnerved Rayo side had a chance of their own to level just seconds after the restart with the lively Isi Palazon misjudging his effort in the box, but it was the Catalan side who should, and perhaps could, have gone into the break with a two-goal advantage, when Dani Olmo struggled to keep his effort low and fired over the crossbar.

Garcia continued to pull off a man-of-the-match performance as Palazon tested the goalkeeper, but the home side would eventually find the back of the net through Jorge de Frutos – only for the goal to be ruled offside.

The equaliser eventually came in the 67th minute when Fran Perez was left completely unmarked at the back post and fired his volley into the roof of the net.

Despite efforts by Rayo to push for a winner, including Andrei Ratiu having an effort ruled out for offside, a masterclass of goalkeeping from Garcia would save Barcelona from defeat.

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In an era where VAR has become a huge talking point in football after its introduction across the leagues, VAR made the wrong headlines once again for very different reasons.

In a hotly contested La Liga match between Rayo Vallecano and Barcelona, the deadlock would finally be broken in dramatic circumstances when Lamine Yamal was brought down in the box, with the referee indicating a penalty for the visitors.

It would be a decision from Mateo Busquets which would leave the home faithful furious as replays would indicate Yamal was looking for the foul in a soft penalty decision by the officials.

Despite much anticipation for the penalty to go to the screen and VAR to intervene, no such thing would come to fruition, with Yamal slotting his spot-kick past Augusto Batalla.

It would later emerge the five minute delay to kick-off was the result of the manager's being told that VAR was not working and was not available for the goal.

Rayo would earn themselves a well-deserved draw against the reigning champions but many will ponder if they got let off the hook with the absence of VAR...

Barcelona drop their first points of the season as Rayo Vallecano peg back the defending champions.

Rayo win a free-kick deep into Barca's half but it's not quite the delivery Rayo were hoping for from Florian Lejeune.

Pep Chavarria is the latest name to go into the book.

Isi Palazion is replaced by Pacha Espino.

Whilst Alvaro Garcia is replaced by Gerard Gumbau.

I'm almost getting fed up of writing this as Joan Garcia is once again comes to the rescue as Rayo continue to press for a winner.

Fran Perez fires the first shot before the parried save falls to Sergio Camello, who fluffs his lines and the ball rolls to Garcia before Camello can poke it in.

They're at risk of dropping their first points of the season and will already lose ground on their rivals Real Madrid.

Long way to go in the grand scheme of things.

But it's offside again.

A ball overtop the top sets Rayo down the right hand side again, with the ball played into Isi Palazion who fires at Joan Garcia.

After a scramble infront of goal, Andrei Ratiu finds the back of the net but the flag goes up for offside.

Gerard Martin intercepts as Rayo look to break forward on the right hand side.

A fine display of goalkeeping tonight at both ends by Joan Garcia and Augusto Batalla.

Rashford delivers the corner and it's close for Eric Garcia, but he's unable to direct his header goalwards.

Here we go!

Robert Lewandowski comes on for Ferran Torres. Gerard Martin replaces Alejandro Balde.

Sergio Camello replaces Luiz Felipe, whilst Jorge de Frutos is replaced by Oscar Valentin.

De Frutos unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet tonight.

Joan Garcia, what a game he has had!

Isi Palazion plays a diagonal ball to de Frutos, who is destined to score but remarkably, it's the Barcelona goalkeeper once again to the rescue.

Here's your reminder that a certain Robert Lewandowski is sat idling on the bench.

When will Hansi Flick call on the Polish frontman?

AGAIN!

De Frutos runs through on goal and just as he's about to take the goal around the Barca keeper, Joan Garcia is there to rescue his side.

They enjoyed that one...

Can they build on it though?

On his home debut!

Fran Perez has scored the equaliser.

He's completely unmarked at the back post and he lifts the ball up and converts his volley from close range. He still had a lot to do and that could have easily been a howler if he'd missed.

Incredible scenes from the home crowd and a fully deserved equaliser.