Barcelona 3-1 Rayo Vallecano
Barcelona took another step towards retaining their La Liga title with a win over relegation-threatened Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou.
Michel’s team stayed in the game for 80 minutes and were level at half-time after Gerard Pique had equalised Raul de Tomas’ early strike. But a Lionel Messi penalty ensured that Rayo’s hopes of bagging one of the biggest La Liga 2019 results of the season were about to end. The gig was up for the visitors when Luis Suarez popped up to make it 3-1 late in the game, and the 75,000 crowd at the Camp Nou could relax.
At SBOBET pre-match odds of 1.17 for Barcelona to win this game, this was as near a sure-fire bet as you could get, but all credit to Rayo for hanging on for so long and to their keeper Stole Dimitrievski for a man-of-the-match performance.
Highlights of the game
Few fans and pundits gave Rayo Vallecano any chance going into this game, but they made a bright start with skipper Jordi Amat getting on the end of a Bebe corner and directing his header just wide.
Dimitrievski was in fine form in the visitors’ goal in the first half as Barca began to take hold of the game, making a smart save from Luis Suarez after Philippe Coutinho had put the striker in. And he made two fine saves on 23 minutes, one from a Messi header aimed for the bottom corner and then from a Coutinho snap shot.
The keeper was rewarded a minute later when his side silenced the Camp Nou by going ahead. Rayo’s top scorer Raul de Tomas could be the man to keep them up with his goals, and he bagged his 11th of the season to give Michel’s strugglers a shock lead.
But it didn’t last too long. Gerard Pique came very close with a header from a Messi cross, and the same combination drew the scores level on 38 minutes. When Amat fouled Arturo Vidal on the right wing, Messi delivered again. This time, Pique planted his header beyond Dimitrievski and into the net to level the scores at the break.
Rayo’s valiant effort in the first half gave the underdogs some hope, but it began to disappear early in the second half when Nelson Semedo was felled in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot. The Rayo players must have feared the worst as Leo Messi has an incredible scoring record against them. And sure enough, when the Barca skipper stepped up, the ball nestled in the bottom right corner of the net.
Just on the hour Messi almost made it 3-1, drawing another fine save from Dimitrievski as his shot arrowed towards the bottom corner. But Rayo didn’t give up while Barca pressed to close out the game, winning successive corners on 75 minutes.
Ernesto Valverde brought Ivan Rakitic on with ten minutes to go, and he made an immediate impact by putting Luis Suarez in to fire home the third.
Key statistics
Atletico Madrid’s 1-0 home win over Leganes had reduced Barca’s lead at the top of the table to four points, though that had little or no impact on the La Liga 2019 betting odds. And no wonder as Barca eventually ran out comfortable winners tonight.
Messi carried on his incredible run of scoring against Rayo: he now has 17 goals and ten assists in ten matches with Michel’s team.
Credit to Raul de Tomas for bagging his 11th goal in 23 league games, but it didn’t stop Barcelona making it seven wins on the bounce against Rayo and the 22nd consecutive game in which the Catalans have scored.
What’s next?
Barca moved seven points clear with a win over Real Madrid last week that leaves Atletico as the only real rival, still seven behind. Valverde’s men have an away game to Real Betis next weekend, but before that they have a tricky Champions League Round of 16 second-leg tie with Lyon to contend with, having drawn 0-0 in France.
Rayo’s struggle for survival continues with a six-pointer away to Villarreal. The Yellow Submarine has unexpectedly found itself right in the thick of the relegation battle, and Michel’s men have a chance if they play with the spirit they showed at the Camp Nou.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
