Barcelona will travel to Madrid this Wednesday to face Rayo Vallecano in the Eleventh Round of the 2021/22 La Liga season.
Venue: Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas (Madrid)
Key Statistics
Vallecano have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five La Liga games.
They have won their last four home games in the top flight.
Barcelona have not won away from home in five competitive games.
They have failed to score in their last three away games in all competitions.
Head to head
Barcelona have the better head-to-head record in this fixture, having won 15 out of the 21 meetings between both sides. Rayo Vallecano have three victories while two meetings ended in a draw.
Latest Performances in all competitions
Vallecano:L-W-L-W-W
Barcelona: L-W-W-L-L
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano have surprised many in La Liga this season after beginning the season with five wins from their opening eight games (L2, D1), leaving them sitting comfortably in seventh place and above their visitors Barcelona.
The hosts who were promoted to the top flight from the second tier of Spanish football this season have begun the season impressively. They are yet to be beaten at home this season and enter this tie with a 100% win rate in home games.
They will welcome Barcelona to Madrid looking to extend that winning run and in the process solidify their grip of seventh place.
They have scored 17 goals this term in the league–the second-most goals in La Liga this season–and will fancy their chances of adding to their goal tally against a Barcelona defence conceding goals for fun.
However, Andoni Iraola’s side have a terrible record against Barcelona having lost their last 14 matches against Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Martin Merquelanz is the only player missing for the home team.
Possible Vallecano starting line-ups
Stole Dimitrievski; Fran Garcia, Alejandro Catena, Esteban Saveljich, Ivan Balliu; Santi Comesana, Pathe Ciss; Alvaro Garcia, Oscar Trejo, Isi Palazon; Radamel Falcao.
Barcelona
After being booed and abused by his own fans last time out, Ronald Koeman will hope he can get a win to at least pacify a toxic fan base on Wednesday.
The Dutchman’s side were beaten 2-1 by Real Madrid on Sunday to leave them in ninth place after nine league games.
They will hope to bounce back against Vallecano but they enter this tie with two consecutive losses away from home.
Meanwhile, Koeman will unlikely use Jordi Alba, who played through his pain in El Clasico. Other injury absentees are Pedri, Ronald Araujo and Martin Braithwaite.
Possible Barcelona starting line-ups
Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Gerard Pique, Eric Garcia, Alejandro Balde; Sergio Busquets, Sergi Roberto, Riqui Puig; Memphis Depay, Ansu Fati, Sergio Aguero.
Prediction
Barcelona have struggled to break down even teams this season and are struggling to score goals away from home.
But the return of Sergio Aguero and Ansu Fati has given them a boost and will give them the confidence of bouncing back from a disappointing El Clasico defeat to pick up all three points here.
Rayo Vallecano meanwhile are a solid side and will give Barcelona a tough time.
