Rayo Vallecano didn't exactly sit in a defensive shell for the entirety of their game against Barcelona. They tried to do a fair bit of attacking, and ultimately, it bit them. Not that it was the sole reason they lost, as it was much more down to Barcelona's quality, but their strategy certainly did them no favors. The Blaugranas coasted to an easy 4-0 win, with Alexis Sanchez the man of the match.
Barcelona Vs. Rayo Vallecano, 2011 La Liga: Full Time, An Easy 4-0 Win For Barca
The Chilean international scored twice, and it seemed as if the game was over when his first goal went in. It was a fantastic chip into the back of the net at the back post in the 29th minute, and it was all downhill from there for Rayo. He scored another late in the first half off a brilliant (or possibly lucky) heel flick assist by Xavi before David Villa added a third just before the halftime whistle.
Lionel Messi scored an absolutely brilliant goal in the 50th minute, dribbling around a defender before slotting home a great finish at a narrow angle. At that point, Barcelona knew they had the game good and won and stepped on the brakes, coasting to a simple three points.
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