La Liga’s title race could swing in Barcelona’s favor on Monday when Hansi Flick’s side have a chance to go top of the table with a win against Rayo Vallecano. The 2022-23 champions head into the game in third place, but only three points behind league leaders Real Madrid after they drew Osasuna on Saturday. Barcelona enter Monday’s game with a goal differential that’s 10 better than Real Madrid’s, leaving them with a major opportunity to get back into first place. A game against Rayo will not necessarily be easy, though – they enter the match in sixth place and have their sights set on a place in European competition next season.
Here’s what you need to know before tuning in.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Monday, Feb. 17 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys — Barcelona, Spain
- Live stream: ESPN+
- Odds: Barcelona -600; Draw +650; Rayo Vallecano +1000
Storylines
Barcelona have not lost in the new year, going on an 11-game unbeaten run that included their statement 5-2 win over Real Madrid in last month’s Supercup final. It has allowed them to get back into the title race, which they commanded at the start of the season, and they enter Monday’s clash well-rested, too. Their strong form in the UEFA Champions League meant they secured direct passageway to the round of 16, sparing them a few weeks of midweek action.
Goalscoring has been a particular strength for Barcelona, who have 41 goals in their 11-game unbeaten run. Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha unsurprisingly lead the way, boasting 31 and 24 goals across all competitions, respectively. That attacking prowess has really allowed them to survive their defensive shortcomings, which have been underplayed for obvious reasons but are very real – they have just four clean sheets in 11 games, which could cause a little bit of drama on Monday.
Projected lineup
Szczesny, Kounde, Araujo, Martinez, Balde, de Jong, Pedri, Yamal, Gavi, Raphinha, Lewandowski
Prediction
It may not exactly be a straightforward game for Barcelona, but they have all the tools they need to pull out another uncomplicated win that takes them back atop the table. Pick: Barcelona 3, Rayo Vallecano 1
