Barcelona Held to 1-1 Draw by Rayo Amid VAR Outage

Champions Barcelona dropped their first points of the La Liga season with a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano, thanks largely to goalkeeper Joan Garcia's impressive saves on a challenging night in Madrid. Barcelona took the lead through a penalty converted by 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, although the penalty decision was contested by Rayo Vallecano due to a collision and technical difficulties prevented VAR review. Fran Perez equalized for the hosts after the break, and Rayo came close to winning the match. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick made several changes to the starting lineup, including the introduction of Dani Olmo and Andreas Christensen, while Marcus Rashford was benched. Despite the draw, Barcelona remains fourth in La Liga, trailing leaders Real Madrid by two points after their victory. The match was fast-paced and competitive despite Rayo's modest pitch conditions, with Garcia’s performance crucial in preserving the draw for Barcelona.