Araujo 9, Raphinha 6.5 | Barcelona 1-0 Rayo Vallecano: Player Ratings | OneFootball

The final game ahead of March’s international break saw Barcelona take on Rayo Vallecano at the Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday afternoon.

Fresh off a 7-2 win over Newcastle, the Catalans entered the game high on momentum but also heavily fatigued, and thus dished out a cohesive yet lethargic performance.

Ronald Araujo gave the team the lead in the first half, and Barcelona defended well to keep Rayo Vallecano off the scoreboard. As the game progressed, however, a lot changed and the game grew nervy for the Blaugrana.

In the end, however, Barcelona did manage to hold on to the lead and took all three points.

Barça Universal brings you the player ratings from Barcelona 1-0 Rayo Vallecano.

Joan Garcia: 9

The goalkeeper was tidy with his distribution and did not have a whole lot of saves to make on the night. 

However, he did notably go down with discomfort at one point in the game, and while he did opt to warrior on, the situation raises concern about a possible aggravation.

Made a massive save in the second-half to deny the opponents and again another gargantuan effort in the dying minutes of the game.

Joao Cancelo: 8

The left-back was solid both in attack and defence on the night, covering up to the best of his abilities at the back while also serving as the transitional point for the team in the buildup.

Linked up well with Raphinha, both on the flank and with his central movements in the buildup phase. Earned the assist for Ronald Araujo’s opener from a well-taken corner.

Gerard Martin: 7

The centre-back continued his solid partnership with Cubarsi, holding the offside trap well and combining well with his teammates to get out of tight situations.

Was reliable on the ball and with his ambitious vertical passes which found the intended target more often than not.

Pau Cubarsi: 7

Cubarsi was the more stable and dependable of the two centre-backs as usual and was crucial in the team’s buildup in addition to his defensive responsibilities. Did not make any obvious errors in the afternoon.

Ronald Araujo: 9

Barcelona’s decisive goalscorer. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The captain was given a start over Xavi Espart at right-back and did well in a defensive sense although he did understandably struggle to provide attacking output.

He scored the team’s opener with a well-taken header in the first half and handed Barcelona the lead, proving what a potent aerial threat he can be.

Marc Bernal: 7.5

Bernal dished out a routine performance in midfield with not much special beyond the fundamentals which he got spot on.

Was solid with his distribution and combination sequences, and while he did miscue a few passes, he often looked to make runs into the attacking half to progress the buildup better.

Pedri: 8.5

Pedri was handed a start despite putting in a solid shift midweek and did not show too many signs of fatigue. He ran the show in the middle of the park with his deceptive feints and accurate passes.

Fermin Lopez: 8.5

Fermin worked very hard against Rayo Vallecano. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Lopez was a workhorse once again for Barcelona as he appeared to be all over the park throughout his time on the field. 

He was crucial in the attack with his runs behind the defenders, but he also ensured to be energetic and tireless in the press off the ball, often running all the way back to Joan Garcia’s goal to complete a recovery.

Lamine Yamal: 8

Yamal was relatively silent in the first half in terms of his dribbling but his passes over the top and around defenders were bang-on. Could well have had two assists to his name in the first half alone.

Improved after the break with some runs and direct attempts on goal but could not find the back of the net on the afternoon.

Raphinha: 6.5

Raphinha looked off in terms of his sharpness against Rayo Vallecano with a couple of misplaced passes and even a 1v1 opportunity scuffed. His work-rate was solid, but he lacked the decisive finishing touch.

Did not improve too much after the break and failed to keep up his goalscoring form from the previous two encounters.

Robert Lewandowski: 6.5

Lewandowski put in a good shift for Barcelona despite not getting into too many goal-scoring positions, often dropping to midfield and looking to start the transitional attack with an ambitious pass forward.

His involvement in the link-up play potentiated Barcelona’s danger and left the opposition defence scrambling for the right position at times.

Ferran Torres: 6.5

Came on to replace Lewandowski in the second half and played 45 minutes against Rayo Vallecano. While he did not manage any clear chances on goal, he was handy in the buildup and press to some extent.