Three things you might have missed from Rayo Vallecano vs Barcelona | OneFootball

Barcelona had to settle for just a point against Rayo Vallecano as the match at Vallecas ended in a 1-1 draw.

The Blaugrana found it hard to break down Rayo’s defensive line, and despite enjoying long spells of possession, they only managed to score once.

The result means Barcelona go into the international break two points behind Real Madrid, who took full advantage to move clear at the top under Xabi Alonso.

The game was played on the tricky pitch at the old Vallecas stadium, which didn’t make things any easier for Hansi Flick’s side.

Still, there was one bright spot for Barcelona. Joan Garcia stood out with an impressive display between the posts.

His saves ensured Barça did not leave Madrid empty-handed and highlighted exactly why the club trusted him as an important signing.

But while the result itself drew headlines, several off-the-pitch and in-game moments added more layers to this fixture. Here, we look at three such moments.

Fermin Lopez under the spotlight

One of the most talked-about subplots surrounded Fermin Lopez.

The young midfielder has been linked with a possible exit in recent weeks, and his body language on the night only added fuel to the rumours.

Fermin was introduced as a second-half substitute but failed to leave much of an impression.

In the 22 minutes he was on the pitch, he completed only four of his six attempted passes. He was dribbled past once but did manage a single tackle.

His struggles were clear as he looked out of rhythm and somewhat disconnected from the game.

Before kick-off, cameras even caught him chatting casually with Pelayo Fernandez, a former Barça Atletic player, alongside Marc Casado and Gerard Martin.

But once the match began, his impact was minimal. When the final whistle blew, he left the stadium without saying a word, looking serious and distant.

For a player whose future is already being questioned, this was hardly the kind of performance to silence critics.

Inigo Perez’s threat

If Fermin’s situation raised eyebrows, the biggest storm of the evening came from the VAR controversy.

Early in the game, Barcelona were awarded a penalty after Lamine Yamal was brought down.

Referee Busquets Ferrer pointed to the spot, but replays suggested it was a highly debatable call. Usually, VAR would step in – but on this occasion, it didn’t.

Rayo Vallecano manager Inigo Perez was visibly furious. Cameras picked up his reaction on the touchline as he shouted: “Is there no VAR? We’re going to leave the field.”

His frustration summed up the feelings of many inside the stadium, as confusion spread about what exactly had gone wrong.

What really happened with the VAR?

It later emerged that the VAR system had suffered a complete breakdown. According to the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), the issue was not just with the monitors but with the entire system.

The technology went down 15 minutes before kick-off, leaving no time to replace the unit. VAR was only restored five minutes before half-time, meaning the entire first half was played without reviews.

After the match, Mediapro – the company in charge of the broadcast – released an official statement. It read,

“A technical problem related to the electrical system, the causes of which could not be determined, has prevented the correct functioning of the VAR service during the first half of the Rayo Vallecano – Football Club Barcelona.

“Despite the efforts made by the entire technical team of the operation, it has not been possible to carry out the service correctly, which has been restored normally in the second part. Grup Mediapro is working to clarify the causes of the incident.”

The statement may explain the problem, but it will do little to calm Rayo or their fans, who believe the controversial penalty changed the flow of the game.