The lowdown on Rayo Vallecano
FC Barcelona are home to Rayo Vallecano on Monday at 9pm CET. Let’s take a closer look at the team with the iconic red sash.
History
Hailing from Madrid’s typically working class neighbourhood of Vallecas, the name ‘Rayo’ means ‘stripe’ and refers to the club’s distinctive red diagonal on their shirt, which allegedly honours the colours of Argentinian club River Plate.
The club was founded in 1924, and is typically regarded as the ‘third team’ in the Spanish capital, although that mantle has been challenged in recent years by Getafe and Leganés.
Rayo did not play La Liga football until 1977. Since then, they have come to be regarded as the archetypical ‘elevator’ team of Spanish football, being relegated eight times, most recently in 2019, but always eventually bouncing back up.
Head to head
Until October 2021, Barça were on an incredible run of 14 straight wins against Rayo, including 7-0, 6-0 and 6-1 demolition jobs, but that was followed by a sudden change in the narrative, and a run of five games in which Barça not only failed to beat Rayo, but also lost three times.
Barça finally managed to buck that trend late last season with a 3-0 win at the Estadi Olimpic, and early this season they won again, coming from behind to win 2-1 at Vallecas with goals from Pedri and Dani Olmo.
Last five meetings
27/08/24 (LIGA) Rayo Vallecano 1-2 Barça
19/05/24 (LIGA) Barça 3-0 Rayo Vallecano
25/11/23 (LIGA) Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Barça
26/04/23 (LIGA) Rayo Vallecano 2-1 Barça
13/08/22 (LIGA) Barça 0-0 Rayo Vallecano
Indeed, Rayo is Pedri's number one victim. He has scored three goals against them including in both of the last two games. On the other hand, this fixture is also a traditionally good one for Álvaro García, who has been involved in four goals in eight games against the Catalans (three goals and one assist), his second best tally against a single opponent.
Form guide
Up until Christmas, Rayo had done enough to sit comfortably in mid-table, but it's since then that their fortunes have taken a massive turn for the better. Their current run of nine games without defeat is a new club record, and it's shot them up to sixth in the table, in what is (at this stage of the competition) their second best league season ever.
In fact, just counting results in 2025, Rayo would actually be top of the league! They have won their last three games, against Girona, Leganés and Valladolid, and a place in Europe next season is a very real possibility. In fact, with Spain likely to get five teams next season, they are even dreaming of a first ever Champions League spot.
The players
International caps
Radamel Falcao (Colombia, 104); Stole Dimitrievski (North Macedonia, 68); Andrei Rațiu (Romania, 27), Bebé (Cape Verde, 20), Pathé Ciss (Senegal, 13), Iván Balliu (Albania, 16), Raúl de Tomás (Spain, 4), Abdul Mumin (Ghana, 4), Randy Nteka (Angloa, 4)
Barça connections
Born in Catalonia but an international for Albania due to his father's family, Ivan Balliu (pictured below) grew up at La Masia and made his Barça B debut in 2010/11 under Luis Enrique, and later played for two more years under Eusebio Sacristán before leaving for Arouca in Portugal. The right back also played for Metz in France and Almeria before joining Rayo in 2021.
Defensive midfielder Gerard Gumbau played 90 times for Barça B and also made three appearances for the first team before departing for Leganés. He's also played for his boyhood club Girona, Elche and Granada, from where he is now playing for Rayo on a loan deal.
Reserve goalkeeper Daniel Cárdenas spent a year of his youth at La Masia, but it was at Levante that he turned pro, while forward Sergi Guardiola was also briefly at Barça B in 2015.
And in yet another connection, Pelayo Fernández was at Barça for five years, playing 42 times for the reserves before signing a four-year deal with Rayo last summer.
The manager
Iñigo Perez was a product of the Athletic academy, although it was at Numancia and Osasuna where he made his name as player. After retirement, he joined his old friend Andoni Iraola as assistant manager at Rayo. When Iraola departed for Bournemouth, Perez was unable to join him due to work permit issues and instead remained at Rayo, where he was appointed head coach in February of last year following the dismissal of Francisco.