Dani Olmo Robert Lewandowski Barcelona 2024-25Getty/GOAL

Barcelona player ratings vs Rayo Vallecano: Dani Olmo to the rescue! £51m signing scores debut winner as Robert Lewandowski endures miserable evening

Dani Olmo was the hero for Barcelona as the midfielder scored the winner on his debut in the Blaugrana’s 2-1 win against Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday evening.

Hansi Flick's side had to come from behind to record a hard-fought victory in Madrid. In the 10th minute of the match, the host's worked a slick move down the right and Jorge de Frutos picked out Unai Lopez in the area. Lopez unleashed a fierce shot beyond Marc-Andre ter Stegen to make it 1-0.

Cue something of a Barcelona siege, fuelled entirely by Lamine Yamal down the right. The 17-year-old saw a long-range effort saved by Vallecano goalkeeper Dani Cardenas and nearly set up Inigo Martinez, but the defender was unable to turn Yamal's cross home.

Flick turned to Olmo at half-time and the midfielder made an instant impact. He had a penalty appeal turned down and smashed the crossbar from 30 yards out, as a tactical switch that saw Raphinha move to the left proved threatening.

Barcelona's dominance eventually told on the hour mark. Pedri found Raphinha on the left and continued forward, his run into the area spotted by the Brazilian winger. Pedri's control left some work to do, but he got the ball out from under his feet and sent a left-footed strike into the bottom corner.

And with 10 minutes to go, Yamal teed up his Spain team-mate Olmo, who couldn't be registered for the Blaugrana's first two league games, to turn the game on its head. The former RB Leipzig man sealed a dream debut when he placed his effort beyond Cardenas and into the far corner to make it three successive wins in the league for the Catalan outfit.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Estadio de Vallecas...

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