PREVIEW | FC Barcelona v Rayo Vallecano

Final home game of the season at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. The stadium at Montjuïc has hosted all of Barça's home fixtures during the 2023/24 campaign due to the ongoing building work being carried out at the Spotify Camp Nou and the last of those games comes against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, kick off 7pm CEST, in La Liga. The match is an important one for both clubs - Xavi Hernández's team are keen to take the win and therefore secure second spot and a place in next season's Spanish Super Cup. Visitors Rayo, the on the hand, still need points to make themselves mathematically safe from relegation. 

Minimum objective 

With the league title already lost, coach Xavi Hernández has set his squad the aim of finishing second in La Liga. After two successive wins over Real Sociedad and Almería, the blaugranes are now four points clear of third place Girona with just two games remaining. The Barça coach will welcome back midfielder Ilkay Gündoğan for the game against the club from Vallecas after he missed the win over Almería due to suspension. 

Rayo need points

With a draw, Rayo Vallecano would be safe from relegation, even if Cádiz were to win their two remaining fixtures. Now with Iñigo Pérez as coach, the side from Madrid are in no mood to make things easy for the blaugranes in the Estadi Olímpic. 

Trejo missing

Rayo will be without one of their most experienced players in Óscar Trejo, who was sent off in the game against Granada in midweek and therefore is suspended for the trip to Barcelona. Nevertheless, the visitors still have danger men such as De Frutos and Álvaro García going forward, the experienced Florian Lejeune at the back and Macedonian keeper Stole Dimitrievski in between the posts.