The only big team in La Liga who seems to be coasting along without any serious problems is FC Barcelona, who remained undefeated with a 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Saturday. Their victory takes them to the top of the table, over Valencia, who won earlier in the day.
3 things we learned from Barcelona’s 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano
Rather than change their tactics against Barcelona, Rayo Vallecano opted to play a high line and attack. This was not a great idea.
Denis Doyle
Rayo actually got off to a pretty strong start, with Alberto Bueno forcing Claudio Bravo into a good save in the 9th minute. But after a nice early flurry, Rayo's tactics eventually got found out.
Every time Rayo caught Barcelona offside, the Blaugrana looked a little closer to beating the trap. Lionel Messi had a goal disallowed in the 31st minute, and it didn't take him much longer to find the back of the net. Four minutes later, he sprinted past the defense on a long ball over the top by Gerard Pique, held off his man and chipped Toño to put Barcelona ahead.
The hosts turned the ball over right off the kickoff and were made to pay for it instantly. Once again, Barcelona chipped over the top, with Munir El Haddadi getting on the end of the ball on this occasion. He was able to hold off two defenders before finding Neymar, who slotted the ball into the back of the net to give Barca their second goal in 45 seconds.
Barcelona should have added another goal in the 42nd minute, if not for an error by Munir. He had a chance to square for an easy Neymar finish on the break, but opted to go alone and was dispossessed. It actually appeared that Toño clipped his heels and that the referee should have given a penalty, but Munir’s decision was still a very poor one.
Rayo made a couple of attacking substitutions at halftime, bringing Javier Aquino and Maniche into the game. While they had some decent moments -- Bravo had to make a very good save on Leo Baptistao in the 58th minute -- Barca were well in control.
The game effectively ended in the 60th minute when Jorge Morcillo was shown a second yellow card for hauling down Neymar from behind. Barca were able to knock the ball around to hold on for the win after that, and Aquino added insult to injury by getting himself sent off as well in the dying minutes.
Rayo: Toño, Insua, Ba (Aquino 46’, red 90’), Morcillo (red 60’), Tito, Baena, Trashorras (Jozabed 74’), Lica (Manucho 46’), Kakuta, Buena, Leo
Goals: None.
Barcelona: Bravo, Mathieu, Pique, Bartra, Alves, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta (Rakitic 69’), Neymar, Messi, Munir (Pedro 59’)
Goals: Messi (35’), Neymar (36’)
3 things
1. Munir is amazing, and also 19 - Neymar’s goal came off a brilliant piece of hard work and skill from Munir. With two defenders in his face, he won a ball chipped up into the air, held both of them off, then played a perfect pass that Neymar could run onto. Six minutes later, he was with Neymar on a two-on-one break and instead of squaring to him for a tap-in, decided to go the other way around the goalkeeper and lost the ball. As talented as he is, he also has his moments where he looks very much like someone with just 20 pro games under his belt.
2. Principles don’t get you points - The reason teams who are usually assertive decide to sit back and counter against Barcelona is because actually trying to play football with them basically never works. Rayo don’t know how to sit back and counter, so they tried to play their normal style, complete with a high defensive line, and it didn’t work.
3. Barca's defense is still a work in progress - Luis Enrique tried something new on Saturday, moving Jeremy Mathieu to left back, starting a central defense partnership of Gerard Pique and Marc Bartra. It wasn't an improvement on previous back lines, and Claudio Bravo had more work to do than he should have. Related: What happened to Thomas Vermaelen? He's really not fully fit yet?
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