Barcelona

The Barcelona XI is in: Ter Stegen; Araujo, Eric, Christensen, Jordi Alba; Busquets, Gavi, Pedri; Dembele, Lewandowski, Raphinha Lineups are announced.

Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Óscar Trejo (Rayo Vallecano) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Barcelona's best chance in the opening 20 minutes as both wingers link up. Isi Palazón (Rayo Vallecano) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Pathé Ciss (Rayo Vallecano) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt blocked. Sergio Camello (Rayo Vallecano) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Óscar Trejo (Rayo Vallecano) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Pedri (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt blocked. Isi Palazón (Rayo Vallecano) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

FC Barcelona will have all but one of their star acquisitions this summer when they host Rayo Vallecano in the start of the 2022/23 La Liga season during ...

10th min.: Quiet start to this one until Raphinha makes a run into the right side of the Rayo box and goes down on a challenge from the left back. 1st min.: Rayo kick off and they're aggressive from the start with a direct ball, and they're pressing high. 45th min.: Jordi Alba makes a key defensive intervention in the box to clear a cross that was heading to Rayo's Isi Palazon. Five minutes of stoppage time. He doesn't give them a chance to finish out the play and the bench is livid. Barcelona are aggressive, with and without the ball. He tried to make the best of a poor Raphinha cross in the first half, and then he had a chance to be the hero with six minutes remaining, but he could not contort his body quickly enough to take advantage of a rebound allowed by the Rayo 'keeper. That was the best chance of the game. 52nd min.: Another chance for Rayo! Sergio Camello runs onto a ball into space and it's chaos in the Barcelona defense. The Dutch do-it-all player gave Barcelona a lift when he came off the bench to play midfield. To add insult to injury, captain Sergio Busquets was sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card after a high arm in the face of Rayo's Falcao. Lewandowski was the prize catch of the summer for Barcelona, and he was supposed to help resolve matches like these with opponents interested only in defending and countering. And there are plenty more of these matches left on the calendar.

Join AS USA for live LaLiga action as Barcelona take on Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou on 13 August.

Rayo break on the left. Dembélé goes down the left. De Jong sends in the free but it misses everyone and ends up heading out for a corner. Dembélé picked him out after receiving a 40-yard diagonal from Busquets. Barca are using the wings to get at Rayo. Club president Joan Laporta has been playing a game of economic brinkmanship involving economic “levers” that some fear is simply another way of mortgaging the club’s future against outside elements. Dembélé is, for some reason, wearing a long-sleeved shirt even though it is 30 degrees in Barcelona. Dembélé sends in the corner from the left. De Jong was recently booed by fans outside the club's ground. It's not the result Barcelona wanted but Rayo had their chances too. Lewandowski then sends the rebound over the bar! Lewandowski picks out Aubameyang at the back post. Ansu Fati and Frenkie de Jong are warming up.

Barcelona kickstart their 2022/23 La Liga campaign later this evening as they play hosts to Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou. The Catalans have gone through a ...

While Jordi Alba should continue on the opposite flank, we could see a new central defensive combination in Ronald Araujo and new signing Andreas Christensen. In midfield, there could be only one change, in the form of Gavi. The youngster has been tipped to start over Frenkie de Jong, who has been subjected to a move away from Camp Nou after being left frustrated by the club. In fact, there could be up to eight changes from the team that featured against Real Sociedad, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen, for one, set to start in between the sticks in place of Neto, who has been asked to leave the club after falling behind Inaki Pena in the pecking order.

Barcelona are set to kickstart their 2022/23 campaign later this evening as they play hosts to Rayo Vallecano in the season opener.

However, Barcelona have not given up their pursuit of a new right-back just yet. Moreover, Barcelona are unlikely to prioritise a move for any new player before they sort out their player registration ahead of the new season. He has also had difficulties integrating himself into Xavi’s tactical setup.

Jules Kounde's 12th-hour omission from Barcelona's La Liga squad may not be solved anytime soon with the central defender forced to sit-out Saturday's ...

Barcelona boss Xavi will have to sell players or reduce the club's wage bill to register Kounde - Barcelona will have to cut their wage bill or sell players to raise more funds - The £42million defender was unable to be registered with the league in time

Barcelona have registered several of their new signings with La Liga, making some of their top transfers eligible to play against Rayo Vallecano in the ...

"I think we will get out of it. The Catalan side's dire financial situation made it difficult for them to make it official for the new signings to be able to feature in the Spanish top-flight, but they have managed to confirm them as part of the squad. Barcelona have registered several of their new signings with La Liga, making some of their top transfers eligible to play against Rayo Vallecano in the opening league game of the season on Saturday. Barca were in a race against the clock to get the new players registered in time so that they can be part of the team for the match at Camp Nou this weekend.

As a result of pulling their fourth 'economic lever,' La Liga announced that Barcelona have registered Lewandowski, Raphinha, Christensen, and Kessie, ...

According to the reports, Xavi's side have to either sell off at least one player or successfully negotiate salary reductions with part of the present group. Due to the club's focus on registering other players, particularly Lewandowski, registration for the French international was delayed. It has been stated that until Barcelona sell players or reduces their salary cost, they would not be able to register the French defender as a La Liga player.

FC Barcelona will have all but one of their star acquisitions this summer when they host Rayo Vallecano in the start of the 2022/23 La Liga season during ...

10th min.: Quiet start to this one until Raphinha makes a run into the right side of the Rayo box and goes down on a challenge from the left back. 1st min.: Rayo kick off and they're aggressive from the start with a direct ball, and they're pressing high. With the summer signings registered and ready to play, Xavi Hernandez opts for this most productive and balanced lineup during preseason. 45th min.: Jordi Alba makes a key defensive intervention in the box to clear a cross that was heading to Rayo's Isi Palazon. Five minutes of stoppage time. Barcelona are aggressive, with and without the ball. He doesn't give them a chance to finish out the play and the bench is livid. That was the best chance of the game. 52nd min.: Another chance for Rayo! Sergio Camello runs onto a ball into space and it's chaos in the Barcelona defense. To add insult to injury, captain Sergio Busquets was sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card after a high arm in the face of Rayo's Falcao. The Dutch do-it-all player gave Barcelona a lift when he came off the bench to play midfield. Lewandowski was the prize catch of the summer for Barcelona, and he was supposed to help resolve matches like these with opponents interested only in defending and countering. Barcelona needed more improvisation, creativity, and sharpness from the two.

Barcelona were held to a disappointing goalless draw by Rayo Vallecano as a summer of uncertainty off the pitch spilled over into their LaLiga opener at Camp Nou on Saturday. Barca's frustration was then amplified in stoppage time when Sergio Busquets ...

Another of the new signings, Raphinha, then had Barcelona's clearest chance of the first half to break the deadlock. It's a shame because we wanted to show the fans that we're on a good path. "We will have to analyse the game, improve and keep believing in the model of play.

ALL EYES ON: Lewandowski was the man of the moment at Camp Nou but his La Liga debut was ultimately underwhelming. During the first half, he put the ball in the ...

During the first half, he put the ball in the back of the net but was a couple of yards offside. There will be plenty of improved performances when the new signings are allowed time to adjust to the club. It was clear that the new signings are not quite used to playing together as a unit, something they will hope to rectify in the coming weeks and months. ALL EYES ON: Lewandowski was the man of the moment at Camp Nou but his La Liga debut was ultimately underwhelming. Perhaps the right formula will emerge during a tough upcoming trip to face Real Sociedad. WHAT HAPPENED? The new era at Barcelona didn't get off to the start Xavi would have wanted.

Robert Lewandowski has endured a frustrating debut for Barcelona after Rayo Vallecano earned a scoreless draw at Camp Nou in their Spanish league opener.

I am happy for the effort of my team and for having neutralized a great rival.” The biggest applause Lewandowski heard from the crowd was to show their appreciation for his hustle on defense late in the match with Barcelona stymied in attack. Iraola’s team, led by midfielders midfielders Isi Palazón and Óscar Trejo, erased all the passing lanes for Lewandowski. Barcelona was unable to find the answer through Raphinha and Dembélé, who both wasted the one good chance they each got. “We had generated a lot of expectations, but this is just the beginning. “It is too bad because we wanted to show our fans that we are on the right path,” Xavi said. The modest club from Madrid frustrated Robert Lewandowski and his fellow Barcelona newcomers by defending well and producing the most dangerous scoring threats.

Xavi's new signings couldn't make an impact at Camp Nou in their first LaLiga match of the season, with Lewandowski failing to find the net.

It's a shame because we wanted to show the fans that we're on a good path. We will have to analyse the game, improve and keep believing in the model of play. Luis Suarez's goal in 2019 was the Catalan's last against Rayo. That's not down to luck. The pre-game optimism of the 81,000 fans at Camp Nou turned to whistles in the second half as Dimitrievski time wasted at every opportunity. He made six saves in total on a memorable opening day for Rayo. No one deserves too much criticism for Barca dropping points, but left-back Jordi Alba was perhaps the player furthest away from his best. Luckily for Barca, goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was in good form to ensure they didn't suffer a third straight defeat to Andoni Iraola's team. Iraola is a fantastic young coach and he has some talented players, despite not having a penny to spend. Busquets was shown a late red card for a second booking. When Lewandowski did beat him early in the first half, the flag went up. Barca do not have enough salary space to register the defender yet. Since losing to Rayo in April, Barca have spent over €150 million on new players.

Xavi's new signings couldn't make an impact at Camp Nou in their first LaLiga match of the season, with Lewandowski failing to find the net.

It's a shame because we wanted to show the fans that we're on a good path. We will have to analyse the game, improve and keep believing in the model of play. Luis Suarez's goal in 2019 was the Catalan's last against Rayo. That's not down to luck. The pre-game optimism of the 81,000 fans at Camp Nou turned to whistles in the second half as Dimitrievski time wasted at every opportunity. He made six saves in total on a memorable opening day for Rayo. No one deserves too much criticism for Barca dropping points, but left-back Jordi Alba was perhaps the player furthest away from his best. Luckily for Barca, goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was in good form to ensure they didn't suffer a third straight defeat to Andoni Iraola's team. Iraola is a fantastic young coach and he has some talented players, despite not having a penny to spend. Busquets was shown a late red card for a second booking. When Lewandowski did beat him early in the first half, the flag went up. Barca do not have enough salary space to register the defender yet. Since losing to Rayo in April, Barca have spent over €150 million on new players.

Robert Lewandowski has endured a frustrating debut for Barcelona after Rayo Vallecano earned a scoreless draw at Camp Nou in their Spanish league opener.

Celta has dropped Mina from its squad since a Spanish court found him guilty in May of sexually abusing a woman. It was also the debut for Espanyol coach Diego Martínez, who returned to coaching after a one-year hiatus following his successful stint at Granada. But Espanyol started its comeback at Balaídos Stadium when Edu Expósito fired in a poor clearance by Celta’s defense in the 72nd.

Xavi Hernandez says Barcelona still need to strengthen their squad after opening the season with a goalless draw against Rayo Vallecano.

It's a matter of time before he scores." Especially with the attitude he has and his performances." We will have to analyse the game, improve and keep believing in the model of play. Midfielder Frenkie de Jong is wanted by Manchester United and Chelsea but sources have told ESPN he remains keen to stay at Barca. It's a shame because we wanted to show the fans that we're on a good path. Barca are now operating at a ratio of 1:1 when it comes to signing players, per LaLiga rules.