Barcelona will be eyeing a third straight win in La Liga when they host Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou on Monday night.

Hansi Flick’s Barcelona are off to a flying start, and they will be hoping to build on it when they square up against Rayo Vallecano, who are yet to win a game in the new season.

The home team are second on the table with two wins in as many games. The Blaugrana have bagged seven goals and are yet to concede. The Catalan giants started the campaign with a dominant 5-0 win over Elche and backed it up with a 2-0 win over Athletic Club.

While Barcelona might have only bagged two goals in their last outing, they dominated the proceedings, had the majority of the ball and did create quite a few chances. They could have added a few more goals, but all that matters is that they secured all three points without much trouble. Now they will be eyeing another positive result at home.

Meanwhile, the visitors are currently 13th on the table with a point in their two outings. While their campaign started with a 2-1 defeat to ten-man Sevilla, Rayo Vallecano managed a 1-1 draw against Alaves last time out.

They took the lead early in the second half and could have secured all three points if not for an 84th-minute strike by Mariano Diaz. Rayo might have claimed a point last time out, but they will have to do much better if they are to get something out of this away game against the defending champions. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.

Team News & Tactics

Barcelona

Barcelona do not have any fresh injuries or suspensions to deal with heading into this fixture. However, they do remain without the services of Roony Bardghji (ACL) and Frenkie de Jong (knee). Meanwhile, Gavi (knee) remains a doubt for this outing.

Flick will stick with his 4-2-3-1 formation, where Joan Garcia will be in goal. Eric Garcia and Joao Cancelo should feature as the full-backs, while Pau Cubarsi will pair up with Gerard Martin in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Marc Bernal and Pedri will form the double pivot in the centre of the park. They will shield the backline and look to control the tempo of the game.

Fermin Lopez will take up the number ten role, with Lamine Yamal and Anthony Gordon on the flanks. Raphinha should continue to lead the line for the Catalan giants, with Karim Adeyemi starting on the bench.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Joan Garcia; Eric Garcia, Cubarsi, Martin, Cancelo; Bernal, Pedri; Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Gordon; Raphinha

Rayo Vallecano

The visitors will be without the services of Augusto Batalla (broken leg), Luiz Felipe (hamstring), and Isi Palazon (muscle), while Marash Kumbulla (muscle issue) is a major doubt for this outing.

The visitors should also line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Dani Cardenas will continue to take charge in goal. Andrei Ratiu and Jozhua Vertrouwd will feature as the full-backs, while Florian Lejeune will pair up with Pelayo Fernandez in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Pathe Ciss and Unai Lopez will take charge as the two central midfielders. The duo will have a lot of defending to do against a star-studded Barcelona attack.

Pedro Diaz will take up the number ten role with Jorge de Frutos and Fran Perez featuring on the flanks. Meanwhile, Sergio Camello should be the one leading the line for Rayo Vallecano against Barcelona on Monday.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Cardenas; Ratiu, Lejeune, Fernandez, Vertrouwd; Ciss, Lopez; De Frutos, Diaz, Perez; Camello

Key Stats

• Barcelona are yet to concede a goal in the new season, and they have already bagged seven in just two outings.
• The Catalan giants did not even concede a single shot on goal against Athletic Club, which tells a lot about how well-drilled they are defensively.
• Rayo Vallecano have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last eight outings.
• In the 23 games between the two teams, Barcelona have won 17, while Rayo have won three.
• Rayo Vallecano last defeated Barcelona (2-1) back in April 2023.

Player to Watch

Raphinha

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While Raphinha contributed to 29 goals last season, that was a massive drop from the 60 goal involvements he had the season prior. A lot of it was down to the fact that he struggled with a hamstring issue and missed quite a few fixtures as well.

The Brazilian international has regained full fitness and looks set to get back to his best. He is already off to a flying start with three goals and an assist in his two La Liga outings. Given the kind of impact he has had so far, the 29-year-old could cause serious problems for Rayo Vallecano.

Prediction

Barcelona 3-0 Rayo Vallecano

Barcelona have made a near-perfect start to their title defence, and their defensive solidity has been just as impressive as their attacking output. With seven goals scored and none conceded, Flick’s side will be confident of continuing their winning run in front of their home fans.

Rayo Vallecano have shown glimpses of promise but remain vulnerable at the back, and keeping Barcelona’s attacking players quiet will be a massive challenge. The Catalan giants should control the game from the outset and have enough quality to secure another comfortable victory. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-0 win for the home team.