Barca steamrollers Rayo Vallecano with a 5 goal whitewash

It was a great night for Messi who scored a brace with Cesc making it 3 nil.

Xavi and Villa finished the job with a goal apiece.

Rayo Vallecano was heroic in their gameplay but in the end it was the quality of this Barca side that made the difference.

It was a great game indeed and with all the talk about Barca’s shaky defense, it didn’t look like it was needed much last night against a valiant Rayo Vallecano. Tito showed some really good tactical play that seemed to stop Rayo in their tracks but in the end it was Barca’s class that shone through with a five goal trouncing of the team from Madrid.

No one expected the final outcome to be this as Rayo got out of the starting blocks from the get go. They pushed forward valiantly and made their way to the Barcelona end obliging the Catalans to clear the ball with big kicks upfield on more than one occasion. Very few teams have caused Barca to panic this way and therefore Rayo deserve all the merit.

Barca were unable to play their exquisite style of one touch football in Vallecas but they also made it virtually impossible for the home team to run at them with Tito using a new system with Jordi Alba coming from the back and cutting out any attack from Rayo with the exception of Baptistao in the middle and Javi Fuego coming up the left wing.

For the second time this season, Tito put out David Villa in his first eleven and Villa did not disappoint. He left us with a goal and put his seal on the game which will make it difficult for the Chilean international Alexis Sánchez to recover his first team place.

It was Villa who struck first, too on 18 minutes and this put Rayo Vallecano onto the back foot but they found that it was impossible to contain Barca in their own half. The score remained the same until the break and Rayo remained hopeful.

After the break it was Messi who made it 2 nil on 47 minutes and therefore put paid to any tactical play and ideas that Rayo may have had to try and beat Barca. It came as a reality check for Rayo and Barca, the well oiled machine, burst into life once more.

Then it was up to Xavi to knock one in on 79 minutes and Cesc just a minute later. To finish the team from Vallecas off it was up to Leo Messi in the 88th minute to make it finally 0-5 to the visitors by rounding the keeper to slot the ball in the net. Rayo Vallecano played very well but it was no match for this Barca.

With eleven points clear of Real Madrid, Barcelona has put all the pressure on the teams below them. Real Madrid take on Mallorca away today to try and cut the deficit.

Highlights and goals from Rayo Vallecano vs FC Barcelona 2012