Barcelona produced another statement performance in LaLiga on Monday night, coming from behind to defeat Rayo Vallecano 5-2 at the Spotify Camp Nou and maintain their perfect start to the 2026/27 campaign.
The victory was Barcelona’s third consecutive league win, with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal both scoring twice while Rayo defender Florian Lejeune added an unfortunate own goal. Sergio Camello scored both goals for the visitors, but Rayo ultimately struggled to contain Barcelona’s relentless attacking pressure.
Rayo stunned the home crowd in the 12th minute when Camello opened the scoring. Álvaro García delivered a dangerous ball into the area, and Camello finished calmly from the centre of the box, sending his left-footed effort into the top-left corner beyond Joan García.
Barcelona, however, responded almost immediately.
The equaliser arrived in the 19th minute when Raphinha continued his outstanding start to the season. Xavi Espart provided the assist, finding the Brazilian in a dangerous position before Raphinha calmly finished with his left foot into the bottom-right corner.
Just two minutes later, Barcelona completed the turnaround. Marc Bernal picked out Lamine Yamal, who produced another moment of individual quality, firing a left-footed effort from the right side of the penalty area into the top-right corner. The 21st-minute strike put Barça 2-1 ahead and sent the Camp Nou into celebration.
Barcelona continued to dominate possession and territory for the remainder of the first half. Rayo were forced to defend deep for long periods, while Hansi Flick’s side repeatedly moved the ball quickly from midfield into the final third. Barcelona finished the opening period with 17 attempts, underlining their attacking superiority.
Rayo’s resistance weakened further after the interval.
Barcelona extended their advantage in the 51st minute through an own goal from Lejeune. The Rayo defender inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, giving Barcelona a two-goal cushion and putting the hosts firmly in control at 3-1.
But Rayo refused to surrender.
Camello struck again in the 59th minute to give the visitors renewed hope. Unai López supplied the cross from a corner, and Camello rose in the middle of the box to head the ball into the bottom-left corner. Suddenly, Barcelona’s lead had been reduced to 3-2 and Rayo sensed an opportunity to produce a remarkable comeback.
Barcelona responded in devastating fashion.
In the 71st minute, Raphinha scored his second goal of the night to restore Barça’s two-goal advantage. Anthony Gordon played a key role in the counter-attack before delivering the assist, allowing Raphinha to finish from the left side of the box with another composed left-footed strike.
The goal was particularly significant for Raphinha, who moved onto five league goals for the season and further established himself as one of the most dangerous attacking players in Spain during the opening weeks of the campaign.
Rayo continued to push forward, but Barcelona’s control became increasingly evident. Flick’s substitutions helped his side regain midfield control, while the visitors struggled to create enough clear opportunities to mount another comeback.
Yamal then put the result beyond doubt in spectacular fashion in the 90th minute.
The teenage star received the ball from Karim Adeyemi before unleashing a left-footed effort from outside the penalty area. His shot flew into the bottom-left corner, giving Barcelona their fifth goal of the night and completing his brace. It was another eye-catching finish from a player who continues to mature into one of the most influential figures in Barcelona’s attack.
The final statistics reflected Barcelona’s superiority. The Catalans controlled around 73 percent of possession and registered significantly more attacking pressure than Rayo, while their passing dominance allowed them to dictate the tempo for long stretches. One statistical snapshot had Barcelona leading 69 percent to 31 percent in possession and 23-7 in total shots during the later stages of the match.
The 5-2 victory keeps Barcelona on nine points from three matches and places them alongside Real Madrid at the top of the early LaLiga standings, with Barcelona ahead on goal difference. Raphinha and Yamal once again supplied the decisive moments, while Flick’s team demonstrated both attacking quality and resilience after conceding first.
For Rayo, Camello’s brace was a bright individual performance, but defensive lapses ultimately proved costly. For Barcelona, however, the night belonged to Raphinha and Yamal — two attackers whose combination of pace, creativity and finishing continues to make Flick’s side a formidable force.
With three wins from three and 12 goals already scored, Barcelona have sent an early warning to the rest of LaLiga: they are not merely winning games, they are doing it with frightening attacking confidence.
