Radamel Falcao was signed by Rayo Vallecano during the summer
Barcelona will face La Liga's most prolific markman of this century, who will challenge them on Wednesday night as they attempt to revive their title hopes.
Radamel Falcao, who joined Rayo Vallecano, is back in Spain. He has scored 55 goals in 73 matches and has a better goals per game record than Cristiano Ronaldo (1.07) and Lionel Messi (9.91) in La Liga history.
The majority of these were made during the two years that Falcao was at Atletico Madrid's peak, which took place between 2011 and 2013.
While injuries prevented Falcao from pursuing spells with Chelsea, Manchester United, and Monaco, the past few years saw Falcao recover form and fitness. He scored 20 goals in his last 43 appearances at Galatasaray and bagged 20 goals.
A decade later, Falcao is back in the country and city that made him a global star. Although he is no longer the unstoppable force that nature was in his prime years at 35, Falcao has been a significant signing on and off the pitch.
Rayo's surprise move just before the transfer window closed caused hysteria among fans not used to cheering for such internationally renowned talents. Falcao is the only competitor for Rayo's title of most famous player ever. Hugo Sanchez, a Mexican striker, was the last person to challenge Rayo.
Handily, Falcao lived up to the hype and scored a thunderous debut strike only 10 minutes after he was brought off the bench. This secured a 3-0 win against Getafe.
He then followed that with an injury-time win in Bilbao to defeat Athletic Club, 2-1. His first start was with his third goal in three matches to help defeat Cadiz, 3-1.
Falcao won against Getafe in his Rayo Vallecano debut
These strikes not only confirmed Falcao's status as a powerful goalscorer but also helped establish Rayo as the season's surprise package following their June promotion.
They are currently seventh in the table heading into Wednesday's meeting against Barca. This is largely due to a 100% home record.
Rayo, in addition to the Falcao element, have won admirers due to their open and attack-minded playing style, which is being managed by boss Andoni iraola. He has been a player for more than 500 games at Athletic Club.
Rayo is a club that many Spanish fans love and are able to admire.
The club is located in Vallecas, Madrid's poorer suburbs. Its name is Rayo's stadium. The club has held firm to modernity and maintained a strong sense identity far from the glitz and glamour that Real Madrid offers in the chic Chamartin district to its north.
Robbie Dunne wrote the book 'Working Class Heroes' about Rayo. He told BBC Sport that Rayo was the last of the neighbourhood teams. Everything has an authentic feel, from the beer-serving guys to the fans in the streets to the vendors inside the stadium.
Latinos are a significant contributor to this 'authentic feeling'. Madrid is home to more than 400,000 South Americans, which includes 60,000 Colombians. Many of them have moved to Vallecas and found new homes there. This is a big reason why Falcao isn't an ordinary signing at an average club.
Rayo fans appreciate the unexpected appearance of a national hero at their door. It is more than success on the field. It's also an issue of pride and identity. The club was able to sell out his replica shirts last Wednesday, illustrating this.
"Rayo are the closest thing to the passion of South American football, where mavericks still reign supreme," Dunne says. This is why Falcao is such an ideal fit for him at his new club.
However, not all things are perfect. Raul Martin Presa from Rayo, Spanish football's president, is another of the'mavericks. He has angered many fans over his 11-year tenure by failing to improve stadium facilities and treating them as an afterthought.
Dunne adds that Dunne invited right-wing politicians to the box in a last season's game. Dunne adds, "He did it when there weren't fans to protest it. It was seen as hostility towards a proud working class neighbourhood."
Rayo is known for its unique combination of non-negotiable passion and disillusionment towards their president. Radamel Falcao's addition to the team will add another reason to enjoy their journey.
