Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano preview - Trashorras hoping to hurt Barca

Rayo Vallecano midfielder Roberto Trashorras is refusing to be daunted by Sunday's trip to the Nou Camp and is determined to make Barcelona "suffer" in front of their own fans.

Barca have only lost six league games on their own turf in the last six years but some of those defeats have come against teams who would have been rank underdogs heading into the match.

And it is the victories of sides like Osasuna, Hercules, Celta Vigo and Malaga - who Barca lost to in their last home outing on February 21 - that has given Trashorras added hope going into this weekend's clash against one of his old clubs.

The 34-year-old, who came up through the youth ranks at Barca but failed to establish himself in the first team before leaving in 2003, told a press conference: "I'm imagining a great game by Rayo, in which we have plenty of possession and we make Barcelona suffer. Obviously, that's easier said than done.

"It's crucial to plan a brave game, playing with a lot of intensity, where they aren't comfortable, where we have as much possession as possible and that they suffer."

He added: It's a lovely game, one of the best of the season, against the best players in the world, and we have the chance to show that we're a good team and that we can compete.

"In football anything can happen. There are teams who nobody thought were going to get a positive result at the Nou Camp and we're not going to give up."

Rayo head into the weekend in 11th spot in La Liga, having won two of their last three games to move seven points clear of the relegation places.

Second-placed Barca also go into the match on a high after reaching the final of the Copa del Rey in midweek by beating Villarreal 6-2 on aggregate.

Luis Enrique's men have also managed to defeat Manchester City away in the Champions League and beat Granada in La Liga since the loss to Malaga, and young midfielder Rafinha is looking for more of the same on Sunday.

He said: "We're going for the win. We've been getting better and better. There haven't been any big changes. We just feel better with each game we play."