FC Barcelona Secures Hard-Fought Victory Against Alavés

There was no match on Tuesday at Stamford Bridge. FC Barcelona, despite being aided by the early red card shown to Ronald Araujo, suffered a comprehensive 3-0 defeat against Chelsea in the Champions League. This loss raises significant concerns and suggests that the recent optimism about Barça may have been misplaced. Facing Alavés on Saturday, the Blaugranas needed a strong response. For their second game in the new Camp Nou, the Catalans fielded an attacking lineup with Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski, and the anticipated return of Raphinha. However, they were quickly caught off guard.

In the first corner of the match, Pablo Ibanez capitalized on a glaring defensive error to score the opening goal (0-1, 1 minute). This early wake-up call jolted the Barça players into action. Finally alert, Lamine Yamal’s teammates rushed to equalize. After a cross that threaded through the entire box, the much-criticized Spanish prodigy scored from close range (1-1, 8 minutes). Demonstrating great physical form, the Barça number 10 dazzled with several skillful moves that troubled the Alavés defense. While Alavés remained mostly on the back foot, they almost struck back with a counter, but Joan Garcia made an impressive save while already on the ground (26 minutes). Shortly after, Barcelona regained the lead.

FC Barcelona Dominated Against a Timid Alavés

Breaking free, Raphinha made a smart pass back to Dani Olmo, who finished confidently past Sivera (2-1, 26 minutes). Controlling the match, Barça went into halftime with a well-deserved lead, despite some defensive lapses. After the break, Hansi Flick brought on Marcus Rashford to bolster Alavés’ attack. Barcelona dominated ball possession but struggled to find a third goal. Raphinha was imprecise, and Lewandowski was denied by a fine save from Sivera after a powerful header (58 minutes). Ultimately, despite a few lackluster chances, Barça’s defense held firm.

Exhibiting some concerning tactical and defensive flaws, the Catalan club was fortunate to have Joan Garcia, who was outstanding on Saturday, ensuring their lead. Supported by an engaged Cubarsi (77 minutes), the Spanish goalkeeper had a busy end to the match (78 minutes, 85 minutes) to help Barça secure the win against a late-activated Alavés. In stoppage time, Dani Olmo sealed the victory with his second goal from a Lamine Yamal assist following a well-executed counter-attack (3-1, 90+5 minutes). With this win, FC Barcelona regained some confidence, although their defensive issues remain troubling. Joan Garcia’s heroics in goal played a crucial role in this hard-fought victory against the 14th-placed team in La Liga. Barça now sits two points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the standings but will need to improve significantly in their upcoming match against Atlético Madrid.