Barça 1-0 Rayo
Barcelona beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 at Camp Nou on March 22 — Ronald Araújo’s header in the 24th minute sealed it and Joan García produced several key saves to keep a clean sheet ( ). João Cancelo was forced off with a late scare but Hansi Flick says it’s not as serious as first feared, and Barça have already clinched a 2026/27 Champions League spot and will face Atlético Madrid in the quarterfinals (first leg Apr 7–8) ( ).
Araújo was deployed at right-back and nodded home from a João Cancelo corner, the header crashing in off the inside of the right post to win the match. (espn.com)) Flick hooked Robert Lewandowski for Ferran Torres shortly after the interval as Barcelona shifted their attacking shape. (espn.com)) Cancelo supplied the corner for the goal but was later withdrawn and replaced by youth full-back Xavi Espart; Flick told reporters after the game that Cancelo was not injured and had simply been exhausted. (espn.com)) Barcelona dominated possession and chances — official match feeds show roughly 65% possession with Barcelona outshooting Rayo and enjoying a much higher pass success rate than the visitors. (footballcritic.com)) Joan García made a string of crucial stops, including two set-piece saves and late one-on-one interventions that earned him man-of-the-match plaudits. (espn.com)) The win left Barcelona with a 24-1-4 league record and extended their lead at the top to seven points over second-placed Real Madrid. (espn.com)) Ronald Araújo’s header was his third league goal of the 2025/26 campaign, according to season statistical databases. (footystats.org))
