Lamine Yamal scored from the penalty place, but Barcelona needed goalkeeper Joan García to ensure that the Rayo Vallecano left with a point after a 1-1 draw in the Spanish competition on Sunday.
The defending champion was largely surpassed by the modest side of Madrid with his speed and ability to break the offside trap of Barcelona.
It was Barcelona’s first slip of the season after it started with a few victories in Mallorca and Levante.
Yamal received the punishment after he dribbled past a defender and was brought down by Pep Chavarría in an error that was fiercely protested by Rayo’s players and staff.
Yamal stepped up and shot place in the 40th minute, before he celebrated by gesturing as if he were put a crown on his head. It was the second goal of the 18-year-old of the campaign and his first punishment for Barcelona. He converted a fine for Spain earlier this year.
«They had polluted me, I felt confident and I am always ready to put the team on my back,» Yamal said.
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Rayo’s pressure and the speed of Jorge de Frutos, Álvaro García and Isi Palazón repeatedly created space behind the high line of defense of Barcelona.
García made five important saves, including the refusal of the Frutos and Andrei Ratiu one-on-one. But the former Espanyol -goalkeeper could do nothing to stop replacement Fran Pérez to shoot a volley of a corner when he was completely uncomfortable with the distant pole in the 67th.
«We have to control the ball better. We have to be happy with the point,» said Barcelona coach Hansi Flick. «Joan García played a fantastic game today.»
Fermín López played as a replacement for the second half in the midst of speculation that Chelsea wants to sign the midfielder of Barcelona before the summer transfer window closes on Monday.
The game was marked by a clear malfunction for the Video Assessment Service for Referees.
The referee informed team captains halfway through the first half that it did not work. That meant that there was no assessment of Chavarría’s wrong from Yamal.
Rayo coach Isñigo Pérez received a yellow card for his intense protest, including him to skip a position with a tablet from his coaching staff in the Dugout.
After the game, he apologized for what he called his «embarrassing behavior.»
«I am a strong defender of the referee’s right to make mistakes,» said Pérez. «The referee is a key figure in this sport that receives little support, and he can make mistakes.»
He added: «What lost my cool was that you can’t start playing with VideoView and then it is told that you are playing without now. The video review influences how you play, how the referees work.»
Borja Iglesias scored with a header in the second half injury time to get Celta Vigo a 1-1 draw with Villarreal, where the «Yellow Submarine» was treated the first setback of the season after two victories.
Athletic Bilbao made it three victories in so many rounds after beating Real Betis 2-1 in Seville.
The Basque Country Club got its own goal from Marc Bartra before Aitor Paredes received the second. Cedric Bakambú withdrew a very late goal for the hosts.
Espanyol remained unbeaten after defender Carlos Romero scored in a 1-0 win against Osasuna.
Published on September 1, 2025
