Barcelona player ratings vs Las Palmas: Raphinha and Joao Felix provide the spark! Xavi’s men make it 11 games unbeaten on frustrating night for Robert Lewandowski

Raphinha and Joao Felix provided the spark to fire Barcelona to three points as Xavi’s team beat Las Palmas 1-0 in La Liga on Saturday. The dominant hosts will feel they should have scored more with so many chances and the calibre of firepower they had against a team who played with 10 men for over an hour, but Xavi will be happy to see his team make it 11 games without defeat.

It was a strong start from the home team, who twice thought they had gone ahead in the first 20 minutes when both Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha found the net, but the flag was up on each occasion.

The home team were on top but they looked to be in for a much easier night after 25 minutes when Las Palmas goalkeeper Alvaro Valles had a moment of madness. He came rushing out of his box and wiped out Raphinha, giving the referee no option but to show the red card.

Barca had the majority of possession but proved extremely frustrating in front of goal, with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha failing to find the net, while Lamine Yamal looked drained on the right flank. In the first half, they managed eight shots but found the target with just one.

It was their first on-target shot of the second half that finally broke the deadlock as substitute Joao Felix sent the ball sailing into the box where Raphinha met it with his head. Felix looked capable of creating something every time the ball came his way and almost set up another substitute with a smart pass but Ferran Torres’ effort was saved.

GOAL rates Barcelona’s players from Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys…