Rayo striker Randy Nteka has barely been mentioned tonight, but most of his work has come off the ball. So he's brought off and fresh legs appear in Sergi Guardiola.

Interesting reception for Guardiola, who you may remember signed for Barca in 2015 before some offensive posts about Catalonia surfaced on social media and he had his contract cancelled within hours., external

The second change sees Pathe Ciss come on for captain Santi Comesaña.

Activity on the Rayo bench. Two players are being readied...

Yet again, Ousmane Dembele finds space on the Barca right. Yet again, a couple of Rayo shirts quickly close him down. He wins a throw-in, but that ends up coming to nothing.

Rayo keeper Stole Dimitrievski is enjoying toying with the Barca players, slowing the game down and picking up the ball when Aubameyang finally closes him down.

More whistles for some rough tactics by Rayo. Frenkie de Jong collects a pass from Mar-Andre ter Stegen, turns into midfield and drives forward. Then he is hacked down by Unai Lopez.

Warning for Barca! Rayo clinically took their one and only chance in the first half, and goal provider Isi Palazon almost converts a cross from the left.

Luckily for Barca, Jordi Alba is awake and puts his body on the line to block.

Looks like the Barca attacking plan in the second half is similar to the one in the first: get the ball out to Ousmane Dembele.

The France forward whips in a cross which is headed out by a Rayo head and then finds more room on the right. This time he is stopped in his tracks by an offside flag.

Sloppy, and perhaps ominous, start for Barcelona as a pas goes astray in the opening seconds..

Vamos! Barcelona have plenty of work to do.

Yes, is the answer to the question in the previous post.

France centre-back Clement Lenglet is summoned, replacing right-back Sergino Dest. That's why Lenglet was warming up towards the end of the first half.

That should mean Ronald Araujo goes from centre-back to full-back.

Wonder what Xavi is saying in the changing room? And will he make any changes?

Rayo are leading with their only shot at goal, by the way. Clinical.

Barca, who have had almost 70% possession, have had eight shots, hitting the woodwork through Gavi and only forcing Rayo keeper Stole Dimitrievski into one save.

If you need reminding how big a win this would be, here it is:

• Rayo have never earned a league double against Barca
• Following their 1-0 win at Vallecas in October, Rayo have the chance to become the fourth promoted team to win both of their games against Barcelona in a La Liga campaign - and the first since UD Salamanca in 1997-98
• Barcelona have lost their past two home games and have only lost three in a row once in their history

Understandably the Rayo goal is getting plenty of replays. Too much space allowed to Garcia for the run and Ter Stegen shouldn't really be getting beat like that at his near post.

But the ball from Isi Palazón was simply sublime.

One minute of stoppage time... comes to nothing.

Few jeers and a few complaints from Busquets to the referee. Barca feel they have been roughed up a little by Rayo.

The visitors lead thanks to that wonderfully-crafted chance finished off by Alvaro Garcia.

Last chance of the half then... Dembele stands over the free-kick. Over the bar!

Off he goes again... Dembele slaloms his way towards goal, leaving white Rayo shirts in his wake like an Olympic skier passing gates.

But he stumbles over close to the penalty box, partly because of a nudge and partly because his is off balance.

Free-kick in a very dangerous position...

Barca sent out their defensive subs to warm up but Araujo should be fine, I think. Maybe a change at the break is in the offing.

What a strike! Gavi finds some space just inside the Rayo area, lines up a curler and whacks the crossbar.

The ball bounces down but is nowhere near the line. Ferran Torres is lurking and the ball ends up in the net, but the Spain forward is miles offside.

Looks like Barca centre-back Ronald Araujo has a problem. Not sure he's going to make it to the break...