© Imago
Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 46
Rayo Vallecano wins: 7
Draws: 10
Barcelona wins: 29
This has been a fixture dominated by Barcelona, with the Catalan giants winning 29 of the previous 46 matches between the two sides, only suffering seven defeats in the process, while there have also been 10 draws.
Barcelona have netted an incredible 129 goals in their 45 games with Rayo, conceding just 40, while Lionel Messi is comfortably the all-time leading goalscorer in this fixture, having found the back of the net on 18 occasions against the capital side during his time at Camp Nou.
Despite Barcelona's overall dominance, Rayo have had some recent success, triumphing in three of their last seven games in La Liga, suffering just two defeat in the process.
Rayo went on a 13-game losing run to Barcelona in La Liga between May 2003 and March 2019, including a 7-0 home loss in April 2012, but they managed to break that run with a 1-0 victory at home in October 2021.
The capital team then went on to win three of the next four league games between the two sides, and they were unbeaten against Barcelona across five La Liga matches between October 2021 and November 2023.
© Reuters
However, that strong run was broken at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, when Barcelona recorded a 3-0 victory, securing their first top-flight success over Rayo since March 2019.
Barcelona then made it back-to-back wins over Rayo in the early stages of the 2024-25 campaign, coming from behind to record a 2-1 success in the Spanish capital.
Unai Lopez made the breakthrough in the ninth minute of the contest, and Barcelona found it difficult to get going in the first period, but the scores were levelled on the hour courtesy of a goal from Pedri.
Dani Olmo, having been registered with La Liga shortly before the contest, then came off the bench to score the winner for Flick's side to hand the Catalan team a third straight league win at the start of the new season.
Barcelona are in their best run of form against Rayo since 2021, and they will be aiming to make it three straight wins over the capital side in the reverse La Liga clash in February 2005.
Last 20 meetings
Aug 27, 2024: Rayo Vallecano 1-2 Barcelona (La Liga)
May 19, 2024: Barcelona 3-0 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Nov 25, 2023: Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Barcelona (La Liga)
Apr 26, 2023: Rayo Vallecano 2-1 Barcelona (La Liga)
Aug 13, 2022: Barcelona 0-0 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Apr 24, 2022: Barcelona 0-1 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Oct 27, 2021: Rayo Vallecano 1-0 Barcelona (La Liga)
Jan 27, 2021: Rayo Vallecano 1-2 Barcelona (Copa del Rey Fourth Round)
Mar 09, 2019: Barcelona 3-1 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Nov 03, 2018: Rayo Vallecano 2-3 Barcelona (La Liga)
Mar 03, 2016: Rayo Vallecano 1-5 Barcelona (La Liga)
Oct 17, 2015: Barcelona 5-2 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Mar 08, 2015: Barcelona 6-1 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Oct 04, 2014: Rayo Vallecano 0-2 Barcelona (La Liga)
Feb 15, 2014: Barcelona 6-0 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Sep 21, 2013: Rayo Vallecano 0-4 Barcelona (La Liga)
Mar 17, 2013: Barcelona 3-1 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Oct 27, 2012: Rayo Vallecano 0-5 Barcelona (La Liga)
Apr 29, 2012: Rayo Vallecano 0-7 Barcelona (La Liga)
Nov 29, 2011: Barcelona 4-0 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Last 10 La Liga meetings
Aug 27, 2024: Rayo Vallecano 1-2 Barcelona (La Liga)
May 19, 2024: Barcelona 3-0 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Nov 25, 2023: Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Barcelona (La Liga)
Apr 26, 2023: Rayo Vallecano 2-1 Barcelona (La Liga)
Aug 13, 2022: Barcelona 0-0 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Apr 24, 2022: Barcelona 0-1 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Oct 27, 2021: Rayo Vallecano 1-0 Barcelona (La Liga)
Mar 09, 2019: Barcelona 3-1 Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Nov 03, 2018: Rayo Vallecano 2-3 Barcelona (La Liga)
Mar 03, 2016: Rayo Vallecano 1-5 Barcelona (La Liga)
Matt Law
