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Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano: how to watch on TV, stream online in US/UK

The Catalan giants will try to start the LaLiga championship with a win over Rayo Vallecano that will boost fans’ optimism for the new season.

Update:
The Catalan giants will try to start the LaLiga championship with a win over Rayo Vallecano that will boost fans’ optimism for the new season.
AS English

Barcelona will be aiming to give their fans the first official victory of the new season when they welcome Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou in the first match of the 2022-23 LaLiga tournament on Saturday night. If you are in the United States, you will be able to watch the game on ESPN+.

The Blaugranes finished second in the table last season, 13 points behind the champions Real Madrid, while their opponents Rayo finished in 12th position on their return to Spain’s top flight.

The Catalan giants didn’t win any trophy last campaign after Lionel Messi’s departure to PSG. Barça could not make it to the Champions League’s round of 16, going into the Europa League for the first time in the last 17 years.

Xavi Hernández replaced Ronald Koeman as head coach and different players were signed to strengthen the offensive line, like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ferran Torres, and Adama Traoré.

Many fans and experts believed that Barça had great chances of winning Europe’s second most prestigious title but they failed to defeat Eintracht Frankfurt over two legs in a big upset, although the German team proved to be a solid test as they ended up lifting the trophy.

Lewandowski, the main star of a rebuilt Barcelona

Even if the club is suffering substantial financial issues, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has managed to sign up to five players this summer that are supposed to bring Barcelona back to fighting for all titles.

However, Barcelona has had to sell part of its club assets to be able to bring big names to Camp Nou (Lewandowski, Kessie, Raphinha, Christensen, and Koundé) and try to register them all in LaLiga. Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso and Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva are still wanted too.

At the time of writing, none of the new players have been registered yet nor have the contract renewals of Sergi Roberto and Ousmane Dembélé.

LaLiga seems to be the priority for Xavi’s squad, as it is now three seasons without winning the domestic trophy, finishing second, third, and second since last lifting the title in 2018-19.

Can Rayo upset Barcelona at Camp Nou again?

Meanwhile, Rayo boasted a record of 11 wins, nine draws, and 18 defeats last season in LaLiga for a total of 42 points. Los Franjirrojos will try to upset the big favorites after having some good results during pre-season, losing just one of their six matches, including a goalless draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Andoni Iraola’s side have brought five new players to the club this summer, with Unai López, Salvi Sánchez, and Diego López arriving on free transfers, while Sergio Camello and Florian Lejeune have joined on loan from Atlético Madrid and Alavés respectively.

Even though Rayo are heavy underdogs against the Catalans, they proved they can certainly do some damage in Barcelona, as they managed to win 1-0 at home in October 2021 and emerged victorious by the same scoreline at Camp Nou in April.

What time does Barcelona vs Rayo kick off?

The LaLiga soccer match between Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano will kick off at Camp Nou, Barcelona on Saturday 13 August 2022 at 3:00 pm US (EDT) and 12:00 pm US (PDT).

That’s 9:00 pm CEST and 8:00 pm UK time.

Find out what time Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano starts if you’re elsewhere in the world.

Where can I watch Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano in the US and UK?

In the US and UK, the following television channels and online services will be broadcasting Barcelona vs Rayo:

US: In the United States, you will be able to watch the game live on ESPN+.

You will also be able to follow the game on ABC, ESPN Deportes+, ESPN Deportes.

UK: Premier Player HD, Premier Sports 1, LaLigaTV.

Find out who is showing Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano elsewhere in the world.

Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano: live AS USA coverage

You’ll also be able to follow live-text coverage of Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano right here at AS USA. We’ll be building up to the game from about an hour ahead of kick-off, before taking you through the action as it unfolds.