Match ReportThe GuardianUnverified source· 1 Sept 2026
Barcelona breeze past Rayo but all eyes remain on Álvarez
Raphinha and Lamine Yamal shine as Barcelona thrash Rayo, but the transfer saga looms large.
Barcelona— – —
NS · La Liga
Rayo VallecanoCompetition
La Liga
Score
Barcelona 5-2 Rayo Vallecano
Scorers
Raphinha (2), Lamine Yamal (2), plus one other
Venue
Barcelona's home
What happened. Barcelona defeated Rayo Vallecano 5-2, with Raphinha scoring twice and Lamine Yamal adding two more, a day before the transfer deadline.
- Gabriel Jesus watched from the stands after his £8.6m move from Arsenal.
- Barcelona still want a centre-forward despite the win.
- Julián Álvarez of Atlético Madrid is the ultimate target.
“He's a top striker.”
— Hansi Flick
Barcelona's need for a striker persists after summer departures, with Álvarez the priority.
In this story
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