Barcelona's can now turn to Manchester City after they took care of business in a 6-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou on Saturday. Lionel Messi scored two more goals and was joined by Pedro, Alexis Sánchez, Neymar and Adriano on the scoresheet.
Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano: Final score 6-0, No problems from the Blaugrana against the Franjirrojos
Barcelona looked sharp on the attack and fairly steady in the defense in a easy victory over Rayo Vallecano.
David Ramos
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Barcelona wasted no time jumping in front against Rayo with the fullback Adriano putting the home side ahead less than two minutes into the match. The play didn’t seem particularly dangerous, Adriano simply turned inside away from his marker and sent a bending shot from 20-yards out that eluded Rubén to give Barca a 1-0 lead. Alexis Sánchez was lurking at the far post and it’s entirely possible Adrian was looking for the Chilean with a cross, but whatever the intent, it counted.
Ray had chances to get back in the game but as usually happens against Barca, if you don’t take those chances, they make you pay.
In the 36th minute Lionel Messi ran onto a pass from Cesc Fàbregas after the midfielder intercepted the ball inside the Rayo half. Messi did what he does best, chipping the ball high over Rubén to double Barca’s lead to 2-0.
Barca extended the lad again in the 52nd minute when Messi took advantage of the compacted Rayo defense who’d gotten themselves bunched together in the middle of the pitch. Messi found Sánchez unmarked on the right and sent a short pass to the winger who lined up his shot and beat Rubén to make it 3-0.
Three minutes later Pedro made it 4-0, finishing off a close range chance as he split between two Rayo defenders and tapped a pass from Fàbregas by Rubén.
Neymar returned to action for the first time in over a month, replacing Pedro in the 62nd minute.
Messi scored his second goal of the match in the 68th minute and Neymar put a punctuation mark on his return, scoring Barca’s sixth goal of the match in the 89th minute.
Barcelona: Valdés, Alves, Piqué, Puyol (Mascherano 68’), Adriano, Busquets, Fàbregas, Iniesta, Sánchez, Pedro (Neymar 62’), Messi (Tello 74’)
Goals: Adriano (2’), Messi (36’, 68’), Sánchez (53’), Pedro (56’), Neymar (89’)
Rayo Vallecano: Rubén, Arbilla (Tito 42’), Saúl, Zé Castro, Mojica, Baena, Trashorras, Bueno (Viera 62’), Falque, Rochina, Larrivey (Longo 73’)
Goals: None
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