First Division - Day 8

Barcelona 5 – Rayo Vallecano 2

Barcelona: Claudio Bravo; Dani Alves (Douglas 78‘), Piqué, Mathieu, Jordi Alba; Rakitic, Busquets (Gumbau 76‘), Sergi Roberto; Sandro (Munir 56’), Luis Suárez, Neymar. 4-3-3.
Rayo: Toño; Nacho (Dorado 46’), Zé Castro, Diego Llorente, Rat; Trashorras, Jozabed; Lass, Ebert, Bebé (Embarba 71‘); Javi Guerra. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
0-1. 15. Javi Guerra. Got on the end of Bebé cross to turn ball in on near post.
1-1. 22. Neymar (penalty). After Llorente chopped down Neymar inside the area.
2-1. 32. Neymar (penalty). After Nacho tripped Neymar as he entered the area.
3-1. 69. Neymar. Fired shot back into net after Toño saved Luis Suárez shot.
4-1. 70. Neymar. Rolled ball into net after Suárez passed across from right.
5-1. 76. Luis Suárez. First time shot past Toño after Neymar crossed from left.
5-2. 84. Jozabed. Turned shot past Bravo after Jordi Alba cleared long cross.

Yellow cards: Llorente 21’, Dorado 49’, Piqué 79’.

Barcelona top the table together with Real Madrid after thrashing Rayo Vallecano 5-2 on Saturday, Neymar scoring four times to help the fans forget the injured Messi. The visitors struck first though, Javi Guerra getting on the end of a Bebé cross to beat Bravo, but Neymar won and converted two penalties in the next fifteen minutes or so to turn the scoreline around, the first after Llorente brought him down, and the second after he was tripped by Nacho. Toño had to save from Sergi Roberto a few minutes later, but Rayo came back after the break, Ebert firing a shot over and Guerra and Ebert both bringing good saves out of Bravo soon afterwards. With twenty minutes to go however Neymar scored two more in as many minutes, firing a shot back into the net after Toño could only push out a long effort by Luis Suárez, and then turning the ball into an empty net after Sergi Roberto headed a poor clearance back for Suárez to set him up. Soon afterwards Neymar returned the favour with a lofted cross which Suárez drove past the keeper, and although Jozabed scored a second for the visitors soon afterwards, it was too late to change the result.