Hansi Flick’s Barcelona will look to reclaim the top spot in La Liga with a win over Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
Barcelona will be eyeing their fourth straight win in the league when they host sixth-placed Rayo Vallecano who are pushing for a top-four finish this time around.
The Catalan giants are third on the points table with 48 points in their 23 outings. While they did go through a rough patch of form, Hansi Flick’s men have recovered and they are back competing for the league title.
Barcelona are three points behind league leaders Real Madrid who dropped points on Saturday. Since they have a game in hand, Flick’s team can return to the top with a win here. They are heading into this fixture on the back of a 4-1 win over Sevilla and should be confident about their chances.
Rayo Vallecano have been enjoying life in the Spanish top flight and they will surely make life difficult for Hansi Flick’s team. They are sixth on the table with 35 points in their 23 outings and they have been unbeaten in their last nine league games.
The visitors are heading into this fixture on the back of a 1-0 win over Real Valladolid. While they did come out on top, they weren’t clinical enough in the final third—something they will need to improve if they want to take down Barcelona.
The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Barcelona
Fermin Lopez who was sent off in their last outing is suspended for this fixture. Apart from him, they remain without the services of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Andreas Christensen, and Marc Bernal.
Ronald Araujo who is recovering from an ankle injury is making good progress but he is unlikely to be risked in this fixture.
Flick will make a few changes to the XI that started in their last outing but he will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Wojciech Szczesny will be in goal.
Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde should be the full-backs, while Pau Cubarsi should partner Inigo Martinez in central defence.
In the centre of the park, Marc Casado and Pedri will form the double pivot. They will not only look to shield the backline but also control the tempo.
Gavi will feature in the number ten role with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal on the flanks. Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski will continue to lead the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, I Martinez, Balde; Casado, Pedri; Yamal, Gavi, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Rayo Vallecano
The visitors will be without the services of Joni Montiel, Sergio Camello and Unai Lopez. Meanwhile, they do have a boost as Randy Nteka is back available after suspension.
Vallecano will also line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Augusto Batalla will be in goal. The back four will be made up of Andrei Rațiu, Florian Lejeune, Abdul Mumin and Pep Chavarría.
Pedro Diaz and Pathé Ciss will form the double pivot in the centre of the park. The duo will have a lot of defending to do.
Isi Palazón will be the chief creator for the team, while Jorge de Frutos and Álvaro García Rivera will feature on the flanks providing the much-needed width to their attacks.
Randy Nteka will return to the XI to lead the line for them.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Batalla; Ratiu, Lejeune, Mumin, Chavarria; Diaz, Ciss; De Frutos, Palazon, A Garcia; Nteka
Key Stats
- Rayo Vallecano have been unbeaten in their last nine league games.
- Barcelona have won their last three games heading into this fixture.
- The visitors are also heading into this game on the back of three straight wins.
- Hansi Flick’s team secured a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture back in August.
- The Catalan giants have the best attack in the division as they have scored 64 goals in their 23 outings.
Player to Watch
Raphinha
The Brazilian is enjoying the best season of his life as he has 24 goals and 15 assists in his 35 outings. He even bagged a goal in their last outing against Sevilla and will be eager to add to his tally against Vallecano. Having scored just two goals in his last seven league games, he certainly has some catching up to do.
Prediction
Barcelona 2-1 Rayo Vallecano
Barcelona are certainly back in form but they will be going up against a team that are not going down without a fight. They have been unbeaten in their last nine league games and will certainly cause problems for Hansi Flick’s team. But, the Catalan giants should still find a way to come out on top and reclaim the top spot.
The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the home team.
