Barcelona left it late but came away with a 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Saturday night.
Luis Suarez scored the opener in the 11th minute but Jose Pozo restored parity 10 minutes before the break and Alvaro Garcia’s goal just before the hour mark put the hosts ahead.
Vallecano looked on course for a famous win until the 87th minute when Ousmane Dembele equalised. Suarez then bagged a dramatic late winner in the final minute to complete the comeback.
SUAREZ ON A ROLL
Suarez is Lionel Messi’s right-hand man and ever since the Argentine was injured against Sevilla, the Uruguayan has stepped up to the plate in a big way.
Prior to the injury, Suarez had gone six games without scoring for Barcelona but since the incident, he’s bagged five goals and two assists in four outings, including a hat-trick in El Clasico.
At Vallecano, he was on hand to slot home the opener and also struck the upright with a delicious first-time effort from the edge of the box off Rafinha’s lay-off in the first half. He was alert enough to steal in at the far post and stab home the winner in the final minute as well.
This is the sharpest Suarez has looked in a long time and Barcelona will hope this is no flash in the pan and instead the beginning of a sustained run of form. However, with Messi back in training, you do wonder if the 31-year-old’s imminent return to action will help or hinder the striker who has enjoyed being the focal point of the attack in his absence.
BARCA STRUGGLE AT THE BACK
Goals win games, defences win titles. That’s how it usually goes but Barca will be quite happy to be the exception to the rule.
Defensively, the Catalans have been all over the shop this season and Vallecano stretched them time and again in this encounter.
For the opener, the defending was just passive as they stood off Pozo who had all the time in the world on the edge of the box and produced a fine finish that went in off the post. Vallecano’s second also came from lax defending with Pique given the slip at the near post before Garcia turned in the rebound.
Much is asked of their full-backs in attack and that will always leave them vulnerable at the other end. However, much of their problems stem from basic errors that need addressing sooner rather than later.
Barcelona are woeful at the back
VALIANT VALLECANO
Rayo Vallecano’s league position does not do their attack any justice. They only have themselves to blame for their second from bottom place in the table though, more specifically, their defence.
Going forward, they are a joy to watch and Barca were at sixes and sevens trying to cope with the pace and directness of their play.
Despite only having 30 per cent of possession, the hosts had more shots than their illustrious counterparts (10 to nine). They also completed 13 dribbles to Barca’s six, indicative of how their attack terrorised the visiting defenders.
However, they’ve conceded more goals than anyone else in Spain’s top flight. Jordi Alba got in behind far too easily to set up the opener and Suarez wasn’t picked up at the far post for the winner. Both basic errors which they are consistently guilty of and is costing them dearly.
Rayo Vallecano have goals in them.
