Barcelona hosts Alaves on Saturday afternoon in a key La Liga match that could send Hansi Flick’s side to the top of the table. Barcelona sits 1 point behind Real Madrid and comes into this game looking to bounce back from a painful Champions League defeat. Alaves sit 14th and hope to take advantage of any tired legs or loss of confidence from the home team.
Barcelona returned to Camp Nou in style last weekend with a 4 to 0 win over Athletic Bilbao, a match filled with joy and noise. That good feeling was crushed on Tuesday night when they lost 3 to 0 to Chelsea. The team never settled, and the defeat created new pressure. Flick now needs a strong reaction.
In La Liga, Barcelona are in good rhythm. They have won their last 3 league games against Elche, Celta Vigo, and Athletic. They now face Alaves, Atletico Madrid and Real Betis before a must-win Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt. Alaves sit 14th with 15 points from 13 matches.Their season has been mixed. They have shown effort but lack consistency. They finished 15th last season and want to move higher, but they have won only 1 of their last 6 away league matches. They also failed to score in each of their last 3 away La Liga games.
Team news is important. Barcelona are still without Ter Stegen and Gavi, but Flick expects Pedri to return. Marcus Rashford should start in place of Lewandowski, who is expected to rest. Eric Garcia replaces Araujo after his red card against Chelsea. Dani Olmo is likely to start as the number 10. Fermin Lopez is out with a muscle problem.
Alaves are missing Facundo Garces through a long suspension. Nikola Maras remains out with a knee injury. Calebe will face a late fitness test. Carlos Vicente is the danger man with 5 goals and 2 assists this season.
Barcelona vs Alaves: Key Stats
📊 Head to head: Barcelona 19 wins, Alaves 1, Draws 3
📊 Barcelona: Unbeaten at half time in last 27 home matches
📊 Barcelona: Won last 6 home league games
📊 Barcelona: Scored 1 or more goals in their last 33 league matches
📊 Barcelona: Over 2.5 goals in last 15 games in all competitions
📊 Alaves: Failed to score in last 3 away league games
📊 Alaves: Won 1 of last 6 league away matches
Predicted Lineups
Barcelona (4-2-3-1) J Garcia; Kounde, Eric Garcia, Cubarsi, Balde; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Rashford; Torres
Alaves (4-4-2) Sivera; Otto, Tenaglia, Pacheco, Yusi; Vicente, Blanco, Suarez, Alena; Martinez, Boye
Players and Matchups to Watch
🔹 Dani Olmo – Expected to run the game as the creator
🔹 Carlos Vicente – Alaves’ main attacking threat
🔹 Ferran Torres – In strong scoring form
Odds Market on MSport
💵 Draw: 6.00
💵 Alaves to win: 11.00
💵 Over 2.5 Goals: 1.55
Barcelona have the form, the quality, and the home advantage. Alaves will fight, but their away struggles make this a tough test. A strong Barcelona response is expected, with plenty of attacking moments and pressure.
