Barcelona v Alaves Betting Special: Messi magic to prove too much for minnows to handle

For the first time in their 96-year history, Alaves have reached the final of a domestic cup competition although the side from the Basque Country are big outsiders against Barcelona.

The two meetings between the sides in La Liga this season brought an away win apiece, as Alaves triumphed 2-1 at the Camp Nou and Barca handed out a 6-0 thrashing at the Estadio Mendizorroza.

While Barcelona will readily expect to get on the scoresheet, Alaves ended the La Liga season with the fourth worst attack in the division, and Brazilian striker Deyverson was their top scorer with just seven goals.

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The man on loan from Levante netted the opener for the Basques at the Camp Nou and Paddy Power price him as the shortest priced Alaves player to net on Saturday at 4/1 (5.00).

The other player who scored at the Camp Nou is Ibai Gomez and the former Athletic Bilbao wideman is priced at 6/1 (7.00) to net once more. The 27-year-old has a strong record in big games, having netted five times against Barcelona or Real Madrid during his career, and ended the season strongly with two goals in his last five starts.

Barcelona, meanwhile, will be missing Luis Suarez who is suspended for the game and Paco Alcacer is likely to take his place. The former Valencia striker scored his first goal for Barcelona in the first round of the Copa del Rey against Hercules, and is offered at 8/15 (1.53) to net once more.

Goal

More likely to get on the scoresheet, however, are the other two members of Barcelona's famous attacking trident with Neymar offered at the same price as Alcacer, and Lionel Messi priced at just 1/3 (1.33).

Much more appealing however is the price of 13/10 (2.30) for Messi to score two or more goals, which looks like an excellent option especially considering how the Argentine ended the La Liga season.

Messi scored a brace in seven of his last ten league matches this season and the price for him to do so once more on Saturday evening looks too good to miss.