Barcelona suffers a defeat at Rayo Vallecano, sparking controversy due to VAR malfunction
In a heated atmosphere, Rayo Vallecano and Barcelona faced off at Estadio de Vallecas on Sunday. The tempestuous atmosphere, with Rayo's protests over referee Mateo Busquets' decisions, continued from the previous game. Indignant home supporters voiced their fury at every decision that went against Rayo Vallecano.
The game started with a bang as Barcelona's first goal of the match was scored by Lamine Yamal from a penalty kick in the 40th minute, awarded due to a challenge by Pep Chavarria on Lamine Yamal. However, Daniel Olmo missed a sitter for Barcelona soon after, hitting the ball over the crossbar from close in.
Rayo Vallecano didn't give up and fought back. Fran Perez scored the equalizer for Rayo Vallecano in the 67th minute. The team continued to press for a winner, with substitute Sergio Camello having a chance to win the game in the last minute but missing his shot.
Joan Garcia, Barcelona's goalkeeper, made several outstanding saves to prevent Rayo Vallecano from winning. Garcia denied Andrei Ratiu in the 12th minute, Isi Palazon in the second half, and a breakaway on goal by Jorge de Frutos.
Despite a malfunctioning VAR system, which was reported at kick-off, the controversy surrounding it from the previous game did not occur in this match. Both teams were informed of the issue, but it did not affect the penalty decision.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with Rayo Vallecano and Barcelona sharing the points. This result means Barcelona dropped points, making Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao the only two clubs with a 100% record after three matches. Rayo Vallecano, on the other hand, have four points from their opening matches of the campaign.
Iñigo Pérez coached Rayo Vallecano for the match against Barcelona at Estadio de Vallecas. The team will look to build on this result in their next game.
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