Three talking points from Barcelona 1-0 Rayo Vallecano as Ronald Araujo header seals win

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 22: Ronald Araujo of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou on March 22, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) | Getty Images With six wins in their last seven games and 24 goals scored, as well as 14 league victories on home soil this season, Barcelona headed into Sunday afternoon’s fixture against Rayo as the heaviest of favourites. The 7-2 annihilation of Newcastle in midweek was just the boost that Hansi Flick and his squad needed as we hurtle into the business end of the domestic and European campaigns.

The visitors were winless in eight La Liga away games and hadn’t scored in their last three away head-to-heads, however, Barca had failed to win more matches against the Lightning than any other side since 2021-22. Let’s take a look at three talking points from the game… Araujo heading for more game time at Barca? Whenever Ronald Araujo is stationed on the right side of defence, I can’t help but think that Barca are the weaker for it.

In fairness to the Uruguayan, although he’s played there many times before, it isn’t his natural position, and you can tell by the number of times he’s caught out of position, how he often isn’t aware if there are runners behind him, etc. Against Rayo, though he did reasonably well in some exchanges, and was the match winner, though he was at fault for their chance in the opening minute, and he just doesn’t inspire the confidence that a captain should. Surely putting him in the centre with Pau Cubarsi, placing Joan Cancelo on the right and Gerard Martin on the left gives the back four much more balance?

Movement needed to be sharper up front Props to Rayo for limiting Barca’s attacking intent for long periods. Though the hosts were incisive at times, the natural flow from the front three often wasn’t there. Passes didn’t find a teammate, dribbles didn’t come off… Not quite an off day, but certainly not the best performance from Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal.