Rayo Vallecano 1-2 Barcelona: 5 talking points as Blaugrana secure comeback victory | Copa del Rey 2020-21
Late goals from Lionel Messi and Frenkie de Jong helped Barcelona pick up a 2-1 victory away to Rayo Vallecano in the Copa del Rey.
The visitors dominated proceedings from start to finish and thrice struck the frame of the goal through De Jong, Riqui Puig and Messi.
Vallecano, however, went ahead against the run of play in the 63rd minute. Barcelona goalkeeper Neto failed to deal with a low cross into the area, allowing Fran Garcia to bundle over from close range.
This prompted Ronald Koeman into action, and he almost instantly made three changes, with Jordi Alba, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele coming on for Riqui Puig, Junior Firpo and Trincao respectively.
Rather than protect their lead, the hosts went in search of a second goal and were duly punished when the returning Lionel Messi scored to level matters 20 minutes from time.
Barcelona went ahead 10 minutes later when Frenkie de Jong converted an excellent center by Jordi Alba to complete the comeback.
The win sees the Blaugrana progress to the quarterfinal of the cup competition. Here, we shall have a rundown of five talking points from the game.
#5 Barcelona keep trophy hopes alive
In the build-up to the game, Ronald Koeman stated that his intention was to win the Copa del Rey, and this was reflected in his very strong starting line-up.
Barcelona are record winners of this competition, with 30 triumphs in the past. However, beyond heritage, the Copa del Rey might represent their best hope for a trophy this season.
They currently sit 10 points behind Atletico Madrid (who have a game in hand) in La Liga, while they look some way off the levels required to win the UEFA Champions League.
Considering that the club finished last year trophyless, it would be a travesty of epic proportions if they were to fail to win another trophy this season.
However, this victory over Rayo Vallecano means that Barcelona are still in the hunt for a major trophy this term.
The eliminations of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in the earlier rounds install the Blaugrana as favourites for the trophy, and their victory here takes them one step closer to a 31st triumph.
#4 Even in defeat, Rayo Vallecano can hold their heads high
Despite playing on home turf, Rayo Vallecano were overwhelming underdogs to progress from this tie.
However, Barcelona's indifferent form in recent weeks might have given them a slim hope of making the last eight.
This was not to be the case, as the visitors dominated possession to secure their spot in the quarter-final.
Despite the loss, Vallecano brought their A-game to the fore against their more illustrious opponents. They had just 31% possession but still managed to fashion five shots on target.
Although the La Liga 2 side got eliminated on home soil, they were more than an able match for Barcelona. Their lack of fear in choosing to go for the kill when they were ahead also underlined the quality of their performance.