Defending LaLiga champions FC Barcelona lost some ground in the title race after dropping points at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday afternoon.
LaLiga
Result: Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Barcelona
Date: 25 November 2023
Venue: Estadio de Vallecas
Goalkeeper Marc-Andre Stegen and Gavi were the big absentees from the line-up due to injury, as Inaki Pena comes in between the sticks while Oriel Romeu joins Frenkie de Jong in the midfield.
Pena was called upon in the early stages to keep out a curling strike from Jorge de Frutos, before the Barcelona shot-stopper produced a superb save to keep out Oscar Valentin's curling effort from distance all in the opening ten minutes.
Youngster Lamine Yamal looked lively for the away side as he went close to finding the breakthrough on 29 minute by cutting inside and unleashing a low strike which Rayo goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski managed to keep out.
The breakthrough arrived in the 39th minute when Unai Lopez put the home side in the lead with a sweet volley from distance for his first league goal of the Spanish top-flight campaign.
Blaugrana head coach Xavi responded with a double change ten minutes into the second half, with Illkay Gundogan and Joao Felix replacing Oriol Romeu and Ferran Torres.
The visitors threw everything forward in search of a equaliser, as Gundogan and Andreas Christensen combined to set up the young Lamal, but he failed to direct his header on target after 71 minutes.
Barcelona got their rewad in the 82nd minute when Florian Lejeune turned Alejandro Balde's cross into his own net while trying to deny Robert Lewandowksi a clear sight at goal in the box.
The defending champions were camped in Rayo's half for the latter stages off the second half, but found it tough to find a second goal as they now sit three points behind league leaders Girona.
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