FC Barcelona-Rayo: A final to regain the lead in LaLiga

This Monday, the FC Barcelona will face a true final that could determine the team's fate in LaLiga 2024/25. The azulgrana team returns to the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys to take on Rayo Vallecano in what is a real 'test of fire' for the Catalans, who are presented with a golden opportunity to climb to the top of the table after the 'slips' of Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid.

The merengue team dropped two points in their visit to Osasuna in Pamplona (1-1) and has 51 points, one more than the colchoneros (50), who wasted the white team's debacle in Pamplona with a 1-1 draw against Celta at home.  Thus, the team led by Hansi Flick aims for a victory that will allow them to regain a lead they lost five matchdays ago after falling to the rojiblancos in Montjuïc (1-2).

Barça will seek to equalize the recent history with Rayo

To return to the top of the standings, the Barça will face a Rayo that has been a 'headache' for the blaugranas in recent years. Since 2021, the franjirrojos have managed to compete toe-to-toe with the Catalans, dominating the record of the last 6 league encounters between the two with 3 victories, 2 defeats, and 1 draw.

However, the immediate precedents allow the culés to hope for a victory that will return them to the top of the table. In the first half of the season, Flick's team left Vallecas with 3 points thanks to goals from Pedri and Dani Olmo (1-2), while in the last encounter between the two teams in the 23/24 season, the azulgranas achieved a resounding victory in Montjuïc (3-0) with goals from the Tenerife native (x2) and Lewandowski.

Despite this, Rayo arrives in the Catalan capital with arguments to sour Barça's home advantage again. Íñigo Pérez's team has gone nine matches without losing and arrives with three consecutive victories for matchday 24, after defeating Girona (2-1), Leganés (0-1), and Valladolid (1-0). These results have allowed the capital team to climb to sixth place in the standings with 35 points, 6 behind Villarreal (fifth with 41), thus posing a real challenge for the hosts.

Barça performs well on LaLiga Mondays

LaLiga closes this Monday with FC Barcelona hosting Rayo in Montjuïc (21:00 hours). This will be the tenth match in the last 15 years for the azulgrana team on an unusual day for the culé calendar. Enjoying two free weeks due to the UEFA Champions League 'play-off' has given Hansi Flick's team a breather, and the league has scheduled their match against the Vallecas team on a Monday, which has historically been favorable for the Catalans.

Since 2010, the record in the nine previous matches played at the beginning of the week is 6 victories, 2 draws, and 1 defeat. Interestingly, all matches have been at the azulgrana's home ground, seven at Camp Nou (4W - 2D - 1L) and two in Montjuïc, both of which ended with a culé victory.

To find the only defeat of the blaugranas on a Monday, we must go back to April 18, 2022, when the team led at that time by Xavi Hernández was defeated by Cádiz (0-1) on matchday 32, marking this the only loss in the last 15 years for Barcelona on a Monday in LaLiga. With a record of 22 goals for and 5 against, the hosts aim to extend this impressive streak and add three points that bring them closer to the title.

The big question for Hansi Flick against Rayo

In the press conference prior to the match against the madrileños, Hansi Flick confirmed the return of Ronald Araujo to the first team after recovering from the severe ankle injury suffered against Sevilla, although all indications are that he will start from the bench and Íñigo Martínez will take his place in defense. Additionally, the German will not be able to count on Fermín López, who must serve a one-match suspension after seeing red against the Andalusians.

The azulgrana coach, on the other hand, must resolve the uncertainty in midfield, where three players are competing for two spots. Marc Casadó, Frenkie de Jong, and Gavi are vying to accompany the untouchable Pedri in the midfield, with the first two being the main candidates to start this Monday in Montjuïc. In attack, finally, no changes are expected, with the lethal 'LRL' maintaining its undisputed status.

Barça aims to regain the lead in LaLiga

The Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid have 'served' the lead in LaLiga EA Sports 2024/25 to the FC Barcelona. The merengue team visited Osasuna (1-1) and confirmed their crisis with a draw that extends their winless streak to 3 matches, accumulating 8 points from the last 15 with 2 victories, 2 draws, and 1 defeat.

The colchoneros also could not get past a draw against the Celta (1-1) and wasted the opportunity to seize the first position in the table. Simeone's team is also going through a concerning results crisis in the league, accumulating 6 points from the last 15 with 1 victory, 3 draws, and 1 defeat.

A completely opposite present to that of the culés (48), who are presented with a golden opportunity to return to the top of the standings, as they are only three points behind the madridistas (51) and two behind the rojiblancos (50) before Rayo's visit to Montjuïc. The Catalans are in a sweet moment and have been on a notable results streak since the start of the year, remaining unbeaten and accumulating 13 points from 15 with 4 victories and 1 draw.

Thus, the stage is set for Barça to make a statement and reclaim their place at the top of the standings, which they lost in the last match of 2024 after being defeated by Atleti at home (1-2). Since then, the situation for the blaugranas has taken a radical turn, and they have once again confirmed themselves as the best team in the world, so they hope to maintain their excellent level to add three points that bring them even closer to their twenty-eighth league title.

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