Rayo Vallecano vs. Barcelona – Football Match Report – April 26, 2023 – ESPN

Barcelona wasted a golden alternative to increase their lead on the prime of LaLiga as they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday due to objectives in every half from Alvaro Garcia and Fran Garcia.

With seven video games to play, Barca are prime of the league on 76 factors, 11 forward second-positioned Real Madrid, who had been additionally surprised 4-2 at lowly Girona on Tuesday. Rayo Vallecano are ninth on 43 factors, 4 adrift of the European qualification spots.

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“We didn’t play well, we were never comfortable in the game,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez mentioned. “The chances we did have, we did not take and then the second goal really penalised us. We tried until the end, but Rayo are worthy winners. The result really annoys us but it’s another game week down.

On the title, race, Xavi added: “The message is straightforward: there’s nonetheless a protracted strategy to go. Nothing is finished but. LaLiga is just not gained, I’ve mentioned it many instances. It will take loads to win it.

“Every game away from home is a battle. Madrid are losing games, Atletico are having to scrap to win, we have lost… but we are annoyed because this was a really good opportunity to extend the gap.”

Rayo halted Barca’s seven sport unbeaten streak within the league with a gutsy efficiency in entrance of their followers at a bought-out Estadio de Vallecas.

They had been the higher aspect for many of the match in opposition to a slapdash Barca and opened the scoring in nineteenth minute after Sergio Camello challenged Gavi and rapidly fed Alvaro Garcia who riffled an unstoppable low shot previous Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Rayo obtained again on prime within the second half and prolonged their lead within the 52nd minute due to an ideal effort from Fran Garcia, who stole the ball from Frenkie de Jong in midfield and ran by means of the center of the Barca defence to attain with a tidy end previous Ter Stegen.

Camello missed one other nice probability within the sixty fourth minute and Unai Lopez additionally wasted one other alternative to increase Rayo’s lead somewhat later.

However, Barca reduce the deficit by means of Lewandowski, who latched on to a free ball contained in the field and drilled it into the web within the 83rd minute.

It proved a comfort, nonetheless, as Rayo held on to safe the win.

“You have to do a lot of things and have that element of fortune to beat Barca,” Rayo coach Andoni Iraola mentioned. “We made the game uncomfortable for them. We were dangerous in transition. Both goals come from winning the ball back and then attacking quickly.

“Now we are able to say that we are going to be right here [in LaLiga] once more subsequent season with 43 factors.”

Information from ESPN’s Sam Marsden contributed to this report.