La Liga, Camp Nou - Barcelona 5 (Neymar22', 32', 69', 70', Suarez 77') Rayo Vallecano 2 (Guerra 15', Jozabed 87')
Neymar sensationally netted four times as Barcelona emerged from a thrilling encounter against Rayo Vallecano with a 5-2 victory, although the scoreline failed to reflect the contest as a whole.
Paco Jemez’s visitors to the Camp Nou created countless goalscoring opportunities against the Liga champions, taking the lead after just 15 minutes. Barcelona’s quality in front of goal eventually told, but not before they had been made to sweat in defence.
With Lionel Messi missing through injury, Neymar embraced the starring role handed to him by Luis Enrique - scoring four times and contributing an assist for Luis Suarez to score the fifth of the night.
Against better sides Barcelona would surely have been punished further at the back, with Rayo Vallecano passing up chance after chance as Claudio Bravo was kept busy. Javi Guerra and Jozabed found the net for the away team, but Rayo might have scored even more on another night.
KEY EVENTS
12’ HUGE SAVE FROM TONO! Roberto picks out a wonderful pass for Rakitic, who is clean through on the opposition keeper. But Tono stands up tall and makes the close-range save.
16’ TONO MAKES AMENDS FOR HIS MISTAKE! The Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper's kick-out is collected by Sandro, who threads through Suarez. He's clean through but Tono makes the save to atone for his error.
23’ GOAL! Barcelona 0 Rayo Vallecano 1: The visitors have the lead at the Camp Nou! A short corner allows Bebe to smash in a cross from the left side and Guerra was on hand at the back post to stick it away.
26’ NEYMAR WANTS A PENALTY! The Brazilian goes down inside the area, looking for a spot kick, after feeling contact from Llorente. But there wasn't much in that and the referee agrees.
27’ PENALTY KICK TO BARCELONA! This time Neymar gets his penalty kick, and it was blatant. Llorente completely cleans out the Brazilian inside the area and the referee points to the spot.
28’ GOAL! Rayo Vallecano 1 Barcelona 1: The home side are back on level terms! Neymar takes the penalty kick and sends Tono the wrong way from 12 yards out. Good penalty kick from the Brazilian.
36’ SHOULD SCORE: Oh dear, Sandro. The youngster breaks clean through on goal after an excellent pass in behind byBusquets, but he blasts his effort well over the crossbar. Very poor finish from there.
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38’ JUST WIDE FROM NEYMAR! Nacho's slip allows the Brazilian to drive at goal, sending a strike towards the target from a tight angle. However, his effort flashes just past the far post.
39’ PENALTY KICK TO BARCELONA! Neymar completely skins Nacho, putting the ball through his legs. But the Rayo defender sticks out a lazy leg and brings down the Brazilian.
40’ GOAL! Barcelona 2 Rayo Vallecano 1: Neymar takes the spot kick, performs a one-step run-up and sticks the ball in the right hand corner, with Tono diving in the opposite direction. That was cool.
44’ ANOTHER GOOD SAVE FROM TONO! Neymar once again causes problems down the left side before squaring for Roberto. He takes the shot from the edge of the box, but the keeper rushes round the post.
50’ CHANCE FOR EBERT! Bangura does well to beat his man and square the pass for Ebert. He lets the ball run across his but slices his effort wide of the near post when he should have hit the target.
53’ OPPORTUNITY FOR THE VISITORS! Guerra catches the Barcelona offside slightly slack and is released through on goal, but from a tight angle he can only draw the save from Bravo.
55’ BRAVO IS CALLED UPON AGAIN! Rat almost gets on the end of a pass through, with Bravo making the save at his feet.. before making the stop from Ebert's effort on the rebound as well!
66’ NEYMAR SHOULD HAVE A HAT-TRICK! The Brazilian beats the offside trap and should probably take the shot himself, but he decides to square for Roberto and Rayo cut it out.
69’ WHAT IS BRAVO DOING? The Barcelona keeper takes a massive touch, allowing Guerra to make the challenge. The ball spins up in the air and he is required to punch for a corner.
74’ SIDE NETTING! Poor defending from Pique allows Bangura to get the shot away at goal from inside the area, but he only succeeds in finding the side netting of Bravo's goal.
77’ BIG CHANCE FOR BANGURA! The Rayo Vallecano striker is played in on the counter attack, but he cuts back - allowing Alba to recover - and his shot on goal is blocked by the left-back.
78’ GOAL! Barcelona 3 Rayo Vallecano 1: Finally, Barcelona have some space to breathe. Suarez forces the save from Tono and Neymar is the quickest to the rebound, firing high into the net.
79’ GOAL! Barcelona 4 Rayo Vallecano 1: And that will be that. Barcelona catch out the away team on the break, with Suarez squaring for Neymar - who has the tap-in into the empty net.
83’ GOAL! Barcelona 5 Rayo Vallecano 1: There's a fifth goal for Barcelona! This time it's Neymar who is the provider, finding Suarez with a wonderful cross to the back post, and the former Liverpool striker finishes.
86’ WHAT A CHANCE FOR EBERT! A cross into the penalty area falls into the path of the Rayo Vallecano attacker, but he only succeeds in scooping a shot over the crossbar. Poor technique.
87’ GOAL! Barcelona 5 Rayo Vallecano 2: Well, you can't say that Rayo Vallecano haven't deserved that. This time a cross into the area is poorly defended by Alba and Jozabed tucks away the finish from six yards out.
KEY STATS
Neymar became the first Barcelona player (other than Lionel Messi) to score four in a La Liga match since November 2008 (Samuel Eto’o).
Neymar became the first player to win two penalties in a single La Liga match since March 2014 (Aleix Vidal).
TALKING POINT - Will Barcelona’s openness cost them against better opposition?
In the end the scoreline was rather one-sided, but for much of this contest Rayo Vallecano were in with a shout of claiming a result. Barcelona were distinctly open through the middle of the pitch throughout the match, allowing the visitors to create countless goalscoring opportunities. Against a team like Rayo the Catalans got away with it, but will they be so lucky against a side of better quality? Luis Enrique must give that some thought.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Neymar
With Lionel Messi missing for the Liga champions the onus is now on Neymar to provide Barcelona with the spark in the final third of the pitch. He did that and then some against Rayo Vallecano. This was like a training match for the Brazilian, breaking ankles for fun with his trickery and runs in behind the opposition defence. This was arguably his best performance in a Barcelona shirt, scoring four and providing an assist as well.
PLAYER RATINGS
Barcelona - Bravo 5, Alba 5, Pique 5, Mathieu 5, Alves 6, Busquets 6, Rakitic 5, Roberto 7, Sandro 5, Neymar 10, Suarez 6. Subs - Douglas 5, Munir 5, Gumbau 5.
Rayo Vallecano - Tono 8, Nacho 4, Castro 5, Llorente 4, Rat 6, Jozabed 6, Trashorras 6, Bangura 5, Ebert 7, Bebe 6, Guerra 7. Subs - Dorado 5, Adrian 5.
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