Four quick things as Barcelona rout Rayo

Barcelona 3-0 Rayo Vallecano - La Liga

Barcelona wrapped up the only thing they had left to play by securing second place in La Liga with a dominant (but also fragile) win against Rayo Vallecano.

They will now face Copa del Rey winners Athletic Club in next season’s Spanish Super Cup (which, again, will be in the middle of the season in Saudi Arabia for depressing financial reasons).

The 3-0 win was the Blaugrana’s third win on the trot, their third-straight scoring multiple times and their third-straight clean sheet at that.

Here are four quick things:

1. Forgot About Pedri

In 2020/21, Pedri emerged as a miracle. A 17 year-old midfielder with the same stardust touch that blessed Andrés Iniesta. Ronald Koeman had other options in midfield, but chose to ride Pedri like a mule.

Luis Enrique did the same for Spain, taking Pedri to the Euros (where he was excellent). And most fatally, Luis de la Fuente, now the Spain coach, took Pedri to the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. This resulted in him playing over 70 games!

And sure, like, he was amazing. He won the Golden Boy award as a result and was rightly heralded as the best young player in the world. But he’s not been the same since, looking a beautiful but fragile, broken piece of pottery. This has resulted in many forgetting just how good he is.

They Forgot About Pedri.

Well, today there was a brief cameo that reminded everyone of how sensational he is. Xavi has been clearly handling him with kid gloves since he came back to fitness; he’s played 90 minutes just once in 2024 (when he played 99 minutes in the Copa del Rey defeat to Athletic Club) but has steadily been looking more and more physically ready.

“I feel very good, I have gained confidence and security when I play.” — Pedri

After 70 minutes last weekend and 83 minutes against Almeria midweek, he came off the bench against Rayo yesterday for a 28 minute cameo and scored twice.

Two very different and very good goals, at that.

The first was him corralling a loose ball following João Felix almost scoring the goal of the season, and then absolutely thundering it home via his left-foot. Rayo got bodies on the way of the shot but such was the ferocity that it went in anyway.

Pedri’s second saw him make one of those Gundogan-esque runs in behind Rayo’s high-line as Robert Lewandowski dropped deep. Ronald Araujo pinged a gorgeous pass over the back-line and Pedri raced on it, brought it down and smashed it home.

Two goals in three minutes turned a nervy 1-0 into a comfortable 3-0 and Barcelona romped to victory. Pedri later won MVP of the match and you couldn’t argue with it, really. Such was his impact when he came on.

“The value of Pedri, fit and in the team for Barcelona, is almost boundless.” — Graham Hunter on commentary for LaLigaTV.

If Barcelona can keep him fit next season (and with former Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte fitness coach Julio Tous now in charge of Barcelona’s physical preparation, chances are high!) then he will improve the quality and effectiveness of their football by an almost exponential amount.

Pedri cam play deep, offering control and orchestration, or he can push on and threaten the final third. He is an absolute wizard with “best player in the world” levels of quality and if he stays healthy the whole way? Barcelona’s opponents will be miserable but they will be ecstatic.

2. The Case For João Felix

When João Felix joined Barcelona, this was supposed to be his moment. After years of slogging away in Diego Simeone’s sketchbook, this footballing artist had finally been given a worthy canvas upon which to express himself!

Then he kind of just, like, didn’t.

He started hot, but then blew cold. He re-found his form to knock the stuffing out of Simeone and Atlético Madrid (twice!) but could never find that vibe consistently for anyone else. He definitely looked more suited to playing with Barcelona than Atleti, but the same problems were there.

So, with their eyes on Nico Williams this summer (or Xavi Simons on loan, if they can’t get enough income to get back into La Liga’s FFP good books), the question is: should Barcelona try and get João Felix back next season?

No, right?

Well, no.

“If squad planning was like poker, I'd say Barça should limp in with Joao Felix (small sum, stay in the game, see what happens next) and fold with Cancelo (exit the game).” — @CaptnGuardiola

That is to say, if the price is right (and it’s unlikely Atleti will make it so given how the Portuguese has pantsed them twice this term) and if he’s happy with not playing all the time (and there has been no noise about losing his spot to Raphinha this season) then why the hell wouldn’t you bring João Felix back?

Sure, he’s an inconsistent fop, but literally no one else in the squad can do what he does. Hell, very few players in the world can do what he does.

Look at Pedri’s first goal yesterday, for instance. The way João Felix danced through the Rayo defence like it wasn’t even there, nutmegging one defender and sending another skidding on his backside all in a space of about five square yards, was a work of art. A gorgeous, painterly sequence let down only by the poor finish, poked into the onrushing goalkeeper (luckily Pedri smashed the rebound).

There are countless moments through this season where João Felix popped up with a goal or assist, usually in a style that only João Felix could have shown. And if you can bring that kind of genius back for a reasonable price, then buy low and bring him back!

3. Araujo The Essential

Ronald Araujo has been negotiating a new contract with Barcelona for the last six months or so, and there have been leaks and transfer rumours that the Blaugrana may cash in on Araujo and sell him for €100m or so.

Well, not that Barcelona need advice from a very cool newsletter: but, hey, FC Barcelona; you shouldn’t do that. Even if a €100m bid does come in, just say no.

Ronald Araujo is unequivocally essential to the way Barcelona want to play. With his pace, power, aeriel prowess and defensive instincts… he is a one-man counter-attack killer — and yesterday’s game against Rayo was the perfect illustration.

“With Deco we are in permanent contact and the decisions made will have to be discussed with players” — Xavi

With Araujo on the bench, Rayo tormented Barcelona by slinging long balls over the back of their defence all through the first-half. They didn’t end up making anything of the chances because, y’know, they’re Rayo. But Barcelona were always scrambling and did not look secure at any time.

Then Araujo came on at half-time and even though he was half-fit, the long-ball counters stopped being anywhere near as effective. With the Uruguayan at the heart of the back-line, some opponents just don’t even bother trying those long straight passes because they know Araujo will devour them.

But when he’s not there?? Hit and hope!!

That is a skill-set Barcelona cannot replicate. Not from La Masia and not in the transfer market (Araujo’s skill-set would cost the €100m to replace). Yes, Araujo isn’t perfect as we saw when his awful decision imploded the Blaugrana’s Champions League campaign against PSG — but that was an aberration for the Uruguayan, for the most part he is their best defender and one of the very best centre-backs throughout the entire continent. A colossus and captain.

Pay the man, Deco. He’s worth it!

4. For the love of God, Xavi, stop playing Lamine Yamal!

THE SEASON IS OVER AND HE IS A 16 YEARS-OLD THAT HAS PLAYED 49 TIMES THIS SEASON, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!

“We were playing for second place, we couldn't relax.” — Sergi Roberto

Look, Lamine Yamal is an absolute superstar. He was amazing against Rayo Vallecano, producing a pinpoint assist for Robert Lewandowski’s opening goal and tormenting every defender in his wake besides that.

He is Barcelona’s best winger and their most dynamic attacker, so Xavi’s impulse to play him all the time is absolutely understandable.

But he’s 16 years-old!

His appearance against Rayo made him the youngest player to reach 50 games in Barcelona history, which is a cute stat. He beat Bojan Krkic, which is cute because it reminds everyone of Bojan Krkic who was great. However, he beat Bojan’s record by almost over a year. Bojan reached his 50th appearance at 18 years and 3 days.

Lamine Yamal is 16 years 10 months and 6 days old!

For him to have played as much as he has is preposterous. By the end of next week it’ll be 50 appearances for Barcelona this season and something approaching 3,000 minutes. Factor in the minutes he’s played for Spain (and the minutes he will play for Spain at Euro 2024) and he may well surpass 3,500 minutes this season.

At 16 years-old!

That is just unsustainable. He’ll be done by 25. And Lamine Yamal is a talent who deserves to have a long, 20 year career. And for that to happen, Xavi (or whoever is in charge for 2024/25) is going to have to start looking after him more.

After his ungodly 70 game debut season, Pedri has spent three seasons looking like a broken man. Barcelona are wisely demanding that Spain not “do a Pedri” and take Lamine Yamal to both the Euros and the Olympics, but even just the Euros will be a huge load on such a young body and the risk of him becoming like Pedri is high.

Unless Barcelona manage his minutes.

Obviously he is a magician. Obviously he is Barcelona’s best winger. But in order to maximise his career length and quality, Barcelona must keep his minutes under control next season. For every run of 90 minute appearances he racks up, he must also have runs where he doesn’t start, or maybe doesn’t even play.

Pressure turns coal into diamonds, but if you keep putting pressure on the diamonds then they, too, can shatter.

Don’t shatter your diamond, Barcelona!