FC Barcelona face Rayo Vallecano at Spotify Camp Nou on Monday, kick off 9.30pm CEST. The match, corresponding to Week 3 in La Liga, will be Barça's third game in just eight days, following the fixtures against Elche and Athletic Club, both of which ended in victories for the blaugranes. 

To provide some context ahead of the encounter, here are four interesting facts about Barça v Rayo Vallecano.

Same point in the season 

For the third consecutive season, FC Barcelona will face Rayo Vallecano in Week 3 of La Liga. Since Hansi Flick arrived at Barça, his side have always played their third league match of the season against the club from Madrid. In the first two campaigns, the fixture took place in Vallecas; this year, it will be played at Spotify Camp Nou.

In the 2024/25 season, Barcelona secured a 2-1 victory in the closing stages thanks to a goal from debutant Dani Olmo. Last season, Flick's men were held to a 1-1 draw by a Rayo side that was competing in European competition.

Lamine Rayo

Rayo, tough opponent

Of the last 10 meetings between Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano, the blaugranes have won only four. In fact, Rayo are the side against whom Barça have recorded the fewest victories when comparing their last 10 matches against all of their opponents in the 2026/27 La Liga season.

However, under Hansi Flick, the trend appears to have shifted. FC Barcelona have collected 10 of the 12 points available from their four league encounters with the Madrid side since the German took charge.

New coach

For the second consecutive matchday, FC Barcelona will face a team with a new manager. On this occasion, Beñat San José will be in charge of Rayo Vallecano. After defeating Athetic Club and new boss Edin Terzić, the blaugranes face a team also with a coach in their first season in the post with the former Eibar man taking over from the departed Iñígo Pérez. 

San José, who began his coaching career at Real Sociedad, faces the difficult task of matching the standards set by Pérez, the former Rayo manager who guided the Madrid side to qualification for European competition.

Rayo Vallecano will once again have a Basque coach following the departure of Andoni Iraola. The current Liverpool FC manager spent three seasons in charge of the Vallecas-based club before making the move to the Premier League.

Ivan Balliu, former blaugrana Rayo

Ivan Balliu, with 167 appearances, is the sixth-most capped player in the current Rayo Vallecano squad. The full-back spent seven seasons at La Masia and also made 53 appearances for Barcelona Atlètic, the club's reserve team.

The 34-year-old player, who represents Albania internationally, is now beginning his sixth season with Rayo Vallecano.

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