Hansi Flick's side looks to maintain their 100 percent record as they travel to the Estadio de Vallecas.
Barcelona visits Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday for their third match of the new La Liga season, with the Blaugrana's big summer signing Dani Olmo set to finally make his debut for the club.
Olmo joined the Catalan giants earlier this month in a $66.7 million move from RB Leipzig, however the midfielder has missed Barcelona's opening two victories of the new campaign due to the blue being unable to register him amid Financial Fair Play issues.
They face a Rayo Vallecano side that are also unbeaten at this early stage of the season, having chalked up back-to-back away victories against Real Sociedad and Getafe.
Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game as it happens, wherever you are in the world.
Dani Olmo is set to make his debut for Barcelona in his side's La Liga fixture away against Rayo Vallecano.
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If you find yourself unable to view La Liga matches locally, you may need a different way to watch the games -- that's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
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La Liga broadcast rights in the UK are once again with Premier Sports, which will be showing a minimum of five live matches per week from Spain's top league on its dedicated La Liga channel. This match will be shown on Premier Sports 1.
A subscription to just Premier Sports' dedicated La Liga channel costs £8 a month.
You can also get the channel via a full subscription to Premier Sports, giving you access to all of the networks' channels, which have the UK broadcast rights to Scottish Premiership matches, BKT United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup rugby, plus NHL and NASCAR.
A full Premier Sports subscription costs £10 per month for Sky and Virgin TV customers. You can also get Premier Sports through Amazon Prime Video as an add-on for £15 a month.
TSN is the rights holder for live coverage of La Liga matches in the region, with select fixtures being shown on its linear channels, and a wider selection of games being shown on its TSN Plus streaming platform.
TSN Plus is a direct-streaming service that costs CA$8 a month and also offers coverage of PGA Tour Live golf, NFL games, F1, NASCAR and the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments.
Footy fans Down Under can once again watch La Liga fixtures live on BeIn Sports, which holds the live broadcast rights in Australia for Spanish top-flight matches.
BeIn Sports is available in Australia for AU$15 a month or a yearly commitment of AU$130. FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will make a huge change to his first XI when the Catalans travel ... [+] to Rayo Vallecano for a La Liga clash on Tuesday night in Spain.
Barca has gotten off to an unblemished 2024/2025 start in the Spanish top flight with two 2-1 wins in its first two outings.
Speaking at a prematch press conference on Monday afternoon, Flick confessed that he of course would love for his men to maintain a perfect 100% record heading into the international break at the start of September.
Until then, Barca must take on Rayo in Vallecas ahead of hosting a Real Valladolid outfit, which lost 3-0 to Real Madrid a couple of days ago, at the Montjuic Stadium on Saturday.
"It's always the goal," Flick said. "Win the games and get the points. We are going step by step: now we are focused on Rayo and that is how we manage it".
When it was put to him that Barca has not won on Rayo's patch in its last three attempts - with a 2021 defeat resulting in club legend Ronald Koeman being fired - Flick insisted: "I don't look back, I work in the present."
"We have had a good start to the season and what we must do is continue to advance. I know that it is a special stadium, smaller than the rest, and we are going to win the game," the German added.
Over the past 24 hours, both teams have been buoyed by good news on new signings. Colombia legend James Rodriguez has joined the home side, and though he was bought for around $60 million from RB Leipzig almost three weeks ago, Dani Olmo has finally been provisionally registered until December 31.
With Ferran Torres keeping his place, the Euro 2024 winner won't immediately line up in attacking midfield behind number 9 Robert Lewandowski.
Raphinha takes that CAM spot, with Ferran and Lamine Yamal to his left and right respectively.
Further back in a double pivot are a Marc Bernal and Pedri who were outstanding in last weekend's win over Athletic Club, while the defence almost remains the same.
Captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen's goal is protected by a back line of debutant Gerard Martin, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi and Jules Kounde from left to right, with the five of them unitedly hoping to keep the first clean sheet of the season.
FC Barcelona Starting XI Vs. Rayo Vallecano: Ter Stegen; Gerard, Inigo, Cubarsi, Kounde; Pedri, Bernal; Ferran, Raphinha, Lamine; Lewandowski Filed under:
Hansi Flick has called up 22 players for Tuesday’s clash
The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana travel to the Spanish capital for their next La Liga game against Rayo Vallecano, and Hansi Flick has called up the following 22 players for Tuesday’s clash:
Goalkeepers: 1. Marc-André ter Stegen, 13. Iñaki Peña, 26. Ander Astralaga
Defenders: 2. Pau Cubarsí, 3. Alejandro Balde, 5. Iñigo Martínez, 23. Jules Kounde, 32. Héctor Fort, 35. Gerard Martín, 36. Sergi Domínguez, 39. Andrés Cuenca
Midfielders: 8. Pedri, 14. Pablo Torre, 16. Fermín López, 17. Marc Casadó, 20. Dani Olmo, 28. Marc Bernal
Forwards: 7. Ferran Torres, 9. Robert Lewandowski, 11. Raphinha, 18. Pau Víctor, 19. Lamine Yamal
The big news for this one is that Dani Olmo is finally cleared to play after his registration status was approved by La Liga early on Tuesday, which allows the new signing to make his debut for the club. As for the absences, there’s one more named added to the injury list as Eric García misses out with plantar fasciitis in his foot, and he’s expected to be another long-term injury absence along with Andreas Christensen (Achilles), Ronald Araujo (hamstring), Gavi (knee) and Frenkie de Jong (knee).
Predicted starting XI (4-2-3-1):
Ter Stegen; Kounde, Cubarsí, Iñigo, Balde; Bernal, Casadó; Yamal, Fermín, Raphinha; Lewandowski
The match kicks off at 9.30pm CET (Barcelona), 8.30pm BST/WAT (UK & Nigeria), 3.30pm ET, 12.30pm PT (USA), 1am IST (India, Wednesday), and you can join us to follow and comment all the action.
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Second away trip of the season, as Barça travel to the Vallecas neighbourhood in Madrid. The blaugranes take on Rayo Vallecano (kickoff 9.30pm CEST) in the third matchday LaLiga fixture with the aim of continuing their winning start to the season.
The opposition are also yet to lose, after winning 4 points in two away games, and are set to play their first home game against the blaugranes. Hansi Flick has named a 22 player squad for the task ahead, with Eric Garcia missing out due to plantar fascitis in his right foot. His evolution will mark his return to training.
The full squad list is Ter Stegen, Cubarsí, Balde, I. Martinez, Ferran, Pedri, Lewandowski, Raphinha, Iñaki Peña, Pablo Torre, Fermín, M. Casadó, Pau Víctor, Lamine Yamal, Olmo, Kounde, Astralaga, Bernal, H. Fort, Gerard Martín, S. Domínguez and Andrés Cuenca. Editions:
En/football/spanish-football
Follow along with live updates as Barcelona travel to take on Rayo Vallecano in a Monday night LaLiga EA Sports fixture
Hello everybody and welcome along to this MARCA in English LaLiga EA Sports live blog for the Tuesday night fixture of Rayo Vallecano vs Barcelona at Vallecas.
Barcelona will definitely be favourites this evening, even though they haven't won any of their last three LaLiga visits to Vallecas(D1, L2), and only have a worse away run against Getafe.
Rayo will, then, be hopeful of an upset, and they've won three of their last six LaLiga EA Sports fixtures against the Catalans, which is just one win fewer than they'd managed in their previous 36 top-flight games against them.
Pedri (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Unai López (Rayo Vallecano).
Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Alfonso Espino (Rayo Vallecano).
Corner, Rayo Vallecano. Conceded by Pedri.
Attempt missed. Ferran Torres (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Offside, Rayo Vallecano. Unai López is caught offside.
Attempt saved. Iñigo Martínez (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lamine Yamal with a cross.
Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Abdul Mumin.
Attempt blocked. Jules Koundé (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Jorge de Frutos (Rayo Vallecano).
Foul by Gerard Martín (Barcelona).
Jorge de Frutos (Rayo Vallecano) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Marc Bernal (Barcelona).
Isi Palazón (Rayo Vallecano) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Pedri.
Goal! Rayo Vallecano 1, Barcelona 0. Unai López (Rayo Vallecano) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Attempt missed. Isi Palazón (Rayo Vallecano) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Sergio Camello following a fast break.
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Alfonso Espino (Rayo Vallecano).
Attempt saved. Álvaro García (Rayo Vallecano) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved.
Corner, Rayo Vallecano. Conceded by Pau Cubarsí.
Offside, Barcelona. Lamine Yamal is caught offside.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Alfonso Espino (Rayo Vallecano).
First Half begins.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Rayo Vallecano predicted lineup vs Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Cardenas; Balliu, Lejeune, Mumin, Espino; Ciss, Valentin; Palazon, Lopez, Embarba; Camello.
Barcelona predicted lineup vs Rayo Vallecano (4-2-3-1): Ter Stegen; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde; Bernal, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
For fans in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Real Madrid vs Real Valladolid can be seen on Premier Sports and LaLiga TV.
In the United States of America, the game is on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ USA.
Rayo Vallecano vs Barcelona kicks off at 21:30 CEST, 20:30 BST, 15:30 EDT, 12:30 PDT.
© Agosto 2024 Unidad Editorial Información Deportiva, S.L.U. All rights reserved.
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Hansi Flick's side are one of three La Liga teams to have won both of their opening games, but have the chance to solely occupy top spot by day's end at this early stage of the season if they win, since neither Villarreal nor Celta Vigo won their third game. They will take on a Rayo team that is undefeated to start the season and may include a new face in James Rodriguez, who joined the club on Monday a few weeks after winning the best player award at the Copa America. He may not be the only newcomer on Tuesday, either, as Barcelona hope to give Euro champion Dani Omo his debut.
Here's what you need to know before tuning in.
Things are so far, so good for Flick in his first competitive games as the Barcelona manager, steering his team to two dominant wins in league play. They seem to be resting on neutral for now, expectedly boasting high possession and passing numbers from their first couple of matches while also generating 31 shots between those two games and 5.05 expected goals while scoring four goals. Flick's team has yet to keep a clean sheet, notching back-to-back 2-1 wins to start the season, but it's unclear if this will be something that lingers over the course of the campaign.
As usual, though, the big story in late summer for Barcelona is less about the on-field performances and more about the off-field transfer saga. Days after unexpectedly offloading Ilkay Gundogan after just one season at the club, Barcelona may have cleared the way to register Olmo, their marquee signing of the summer. Olmo, though, is making it onto the roster because of a little loophole that allows La Liga teams to replace injured players. He will replace Andreas Christiensen, who picked up an Achilles injury that will leave him out for a month.
Per The Athletic, Olmo will be registered until the end of 2024 if La Liga gives Barcelona the green light and Christensen's registration will be unaffected. The situation, though, is another example of Barcelona's seemingly unsustainable game of roster tetris that shows no signs of slowing down amidst their years-long financial struggles.
Olmo will undoubtedly make Barcelona better but even if he cannot make it in time to face Rayo, the team has what it needs to win a third straight La Liga game. Pick: Rayo Vallecano 1, Barcelona 2
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