Barcelona Came from Behind to Beat Rayo Vallecano: Match Recap

One of the most uncomfortable situations Barcelona has encountered recently is traveling to Vallecas.

It is unclear whether the poor results were due to the ferocity of the home fans in such a small stadium so near the field or if, as was the case at Anoeta in the past, it has become a "bogey ground" for the Catalans.

Before Tuesday night's encounter, the hosts had won twice and drawn once in their previous three matches at the venue. However, Barça enjoyed a spotless record at Vallecas from 2018 to 2011, suggesting a more recent problem.

As Hansi Flick and his team stepped onto the field before an enthusiastic home crowd, it was the backdrop they were playing against.

Slow starters

Rayo had three attempts on goal and scored one in the first eleven minutes of the game.

Compared to Barcelona, which was sluggish defensively, they were much faster in getting going.

Hansi Flick made one change from the previous encounter, substituting Gerard Martín for Alejandro Balde, although it shouldn't be used as an excuse. The goal came from Barça's left side.

Unforgivable as it may be, the Blaugrana spent most of the first exchanges ball-watching over the back line.

Verticality, control, and sharp passing are already becoming a Flick hallmark.

The team's ability to get vertical when necessary quickly becomes a hallmark of Hansi Flick's Barcelona.

When Barça is in the mood for its delightful short passes and associative play, Rayo is often caught off guard.

On the other hand, the Blaugranes' ability to swiftly transition from defense to offense and create scoring opportunities is striking.

Raphinha has been outstanding in that area this season. Still, it seemed like Barça's failure to capitalize on their chances until the hour mark on Tuesday night was the issue, especially considering that they had 62% possession at the half.

Another feature that stands out about this Barça vintage is its influence on games.

The team's performance under Xavi frequently seemed disorganized and "unrehearsed." Certainly, Flick's structure and tactical acumen have given his squad the upper hand in most of their games so far.

Dani Olmo makes a breathtaking debut.

Even though Dani Olmo only got 45 minutes of playing time for his childhood club after receiving authorization to play, he made a huge impression!

Had it been a different day, he may have earned a penalty with his first touch of the ball and made an impressive entrance with an Exocet that hit the crossbar.

He seemed quite different from the young lad he was, thanks to his outstanding dovetailing into the side and fluidity of movement.

When Barça learned he was available, they wasted no time going all out to recruit him. His work rate was impressive, and he added a winning goal to cap it all off.

A player who will be a constant in Flick's starting lineup moving forward and who will only improve their team.

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