A hard-fought but necessary win
Barcelona entered this match knowing they had a golden opportunity. Real Madrid’s brutal run of fixtures—including two Champions League battles against Manchester City—had left them vulnerable.
Meanwhile, yesterday’s draw between Atletico Madrid and Celta Vigo opened the door even wider for the Catalonians. Barça seized their chance, grinding out a vital win against a Rayo Vallecano side that never backs down from a fight.
Rayo had already secured draws against Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid this season, proving their ability to disrupt Spain’s top teams. Barcelona felt that resistance immediately, as Rayo made it a physical contest from the opening whistle.
But in the 28th minute, a turning point arrived when Igor Martínez was pulled down in the box during a corner kick. After a brief VAR review, the referee awarded Barcelona a penalty, and Lewandowski made no mistake, burying his spot-kick off the left post and into the net.
Despite taking the lead, Barcelona remained under pressure. Just before halftime, Rayo Vallecano thought they had equalized through a well-executed attack. However, the goal was disallowed due to an offside infringement, sparing Barcelona from a momentum-killing setback.
Barça’s possession control dropped from 63% in the first half to 57% in the second half, highlighting the tension under which Barcelona operated. Rayo grew bolder, testing Wojciech Szczęsny with four second-half shots, two of which forced strong saves from the veteran goalkeeper.
Barcelona’s defense looked shaky at times, particularly when dealing with long balls over the top. Their high defensive line, while effective in moments, nearly cost them points as Rayo’s pressure mounted late in the match.
After the game, Hansi Flick acknowledged the difficulty of the contest, stating, “It was a difficult match because the opponent played very well. “
"“That’s all I can say, and of course, we have to talk about these things. We will analyze everything and then see what we can improve.” "Hansi Flick
His words reflected the reality that Barcelona, despite the victory, still needs to make adjustments to stay on top. Young defender Pau Cubarsí also emphasized that the job is far from finished.
"We are leaders again, but we are aware that La Liga is long."Pau Cubarsi
With Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid still in contention, every match from here on carries enormous weight.
Barcelona will now turn their attention to Saturday’s away fixture against Las Palmas. On paper, it presents a more manageable challenge, but as this match proved, no game can be taken lightly in the final stretch of the season.