FC Barcelona begins its La Liga season with a sad draw against Rayo (0-0), Robert Lewandowski silent

First bitter-tasting league game for Xavi’s FC Barcelona. Faced with a reckless Rayo Vallecano, the Blaugrana shared the points in their den of Camp Nou, for their entry into the running in Liga Santander (0-0). Despite 67% possession on average and 21 shots on goal, Robert Lewandowski’s teammates remained silent in front of the Madrid goal. The Catalans even lost their captain Sergio Busquets at the end of the game, excluded for a second yellow card (90th + 3). Xavi is called upon to find the solution as soon as possible, because Barça is going to Anoeta next Sunday for a perilous trip to the lawn of Real Sociedad.

It was a meeting that offered a lot of promise on the Blaugrana side, with the debut of Andreas Christensen, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski in an official match. Facing the modest Rayo Vallecano, Xavi’s players were expected as favorites of the meeting. Barça’s new Polish striker even thought he opened the scoring with a clever left-footed ball, but he was signaled in an offside position (12th).

The Blaugrana then fell asleep for the people of Madrid, despite two interesting opportunities for Raphinha (20th). and Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé (35th). Two chances without great danger, however, for the Macedonian goalkeeper of Rayo, Stole Dimitrievski.

Dimitrievski, providential man of the Rayo

While after having eliminated Araújo with a superb hook, Álvaro García missed a face-to-face which could have allowed the people of Madrid to open the scoring just before the break (45th + 1), Barça tried to resume in the second half. But Lewandowski (54th), Ansu Fati (64th) and Sergio Busquets (69th) have all found Dimitrievski in their path. Excluded at the end of the game for a clumsy nudge on Falcao (90th + 3), the captain of the Blaugrana even almost witnessed the defeat of his people from the stands.

Falcao found the nets close after a decisive save from Ter Stegen, but the Colombian striker was in an offside position (90 + 5). Real relief: the coming week gives Xavi time to better integrate his recruits, but the adversity will be different next Sunday for the second day. The Catalans will travel to San Sebastian to face the fearsome Real Sociedad.