Rayo hadn’t scored on their previous four trips to face Barcelona, but after soaking up plenty of early pressure, took less than 12 minutes to break the deadlock tonight.
Alvaro Garcia got beyond his marker down the left wing, and cut the ball back for Sergio Camello to blast into the top corner for his fourth goal in five league appearances.
The Barca response was quick, as Raphinha forced Daniel Cárdenas into a reaction save before the Brazilian collected a Xavi Espart pass in his stride, weaved his way past the last defender and rolled the ball past the goalkeeper.
The home side didn’t rest on their laurels, and further pressure from kick-off saw them win possession back on the edge of the Rayo box, allowing Marc Bernal to find Lamine Yamal just inside the area, and cutting inside onto his left foot, the teenager opened his account for 2026/27 by powering a strike beyond Cardenas at the near post.
Neither Pedri nor Anthony Gordon made the most of further chances as the hosts continued to dominate, before a deflected Gnangoro Bouare Samake effort not only worked Joan Garcia but reminded Hansi Flick’s side the contest was far from over. Barcelona thought they found breathing space on the stroke of half-time, but Jules Kounde’s finish was ruled out for offside.
It took just six second-half minutes to relieve the pressure, as Dani Olmo slipped a pass through the lines to Anthony Gordon, who cut the ball across goal and the backtracking Florian Lejeune could only clatter it into his own net.
Yet, the pressure was back on before the hour mark, with Camello rising highest at an Unai Lopez corner to head in his second and make it a one-goal game again.
The Blaugrana were all at sea two minutes later when Garcia flapped at a Fran Perez volley, and only a priceless Pau Cubarsi block spared the goalkeeper’s blushes and denied Camello a hat-trick.
The goal-fest continued as the final 20 minutes began, but only after momentum had swung back Barca’s way.
Gordon got on the end of a long ball forward at the corner of the area, cut infield and backheeled the ball to Raphinha, who drilled his fifth of the season past Cárdenas.
Benat San José’s side wouldn’t accept defeat, and Randy Nteka came close to setting up a grandstand finish but Garcia was equal to his sweeping shot.
Ultimately, it was the hosts who had the last word, as Yamal became the third player to complete a brace, curling his side’s fifth into the bottom corner after being teed up by Karim Adeyemi.
Barcelona have now gone a full campaign of 38 games since they last drew a league match (W32, L6), while Los Franjirrojos remain on one win in this fixture in the 21st century (D2, L12).
Flashscore Man of the Match: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)