Barcelona vs Deportivo Alaves: Match details
Domestic pride on the line as wounded giants test Basque resolve
Getty ImagesBarcelona host Deportivo Alaves at Spotify Camp Nou in La Liga, looking to respond immediately after their first domestic defeat of the season.
Hansi Flick's side had won nine consecutive La Liga matches before Kylian Mbappe's late double handed Real Madrid a 2-1 victory at the same ground last weekend. The loss cut Barcelona's lead at the top of the table to three points, with Atletico Madrid also applying pressure from second place.
Flick was candid after the El Clasico defeat, pointing to a lack of freshness as the primary reason his team fell short. The German coach also flagged injuries as his biggest concern heading into this fixture, with the squad's defensive options stretched.
Getty ImagesAlaves arrive at Camp Nou as the seventh-placed side in La Liga and have struggled for consistency in recent weeks. Quique Sanchez Flores's team have won just one of their last five league matches and will need to be well-organised to take anything from this game.
For Barcelona, the priority is straightforward: return to winning ways in front of their own supporters and maintain their position at the summit of La Liga.
Key matchup: Lamine Yamal vs Youssef Enríquez Lekhedim
Explosive wing wizard: Lamine Yamal remains Barcelona's primary offensive creator, capable of unlocking deep defensive structures with incisive cutbacks and one-on-one take-ons from the right flank.
Basque flank stopper: Left-back Youssef Enríquez Lekhedim, who played a key role off the bench in turning momentum against Málaga, faces the league’s sternest defensive assignment. His positional awareness and tackle timing will be critical to prevent Yamal from isolating the central pairing.
Tactical breakdown & predicted XI
FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Szczęsny; Koundé, Cubarsí, Martínez, Balde; Casadó, Pedri, Olmo; Yamal, Lewandowski,Raphinha.
Deportivo Alavés (5-3-2): Sivera; Tenaglia, Koski, Valentini, Lekhedim, Parada; Blanco, Ibáñez, Aleñá; Boyé, Mañas.
Match insight: Barcelona enter as overwhelming favourites on home soil, intending to pin Alavés deep with aggressive wide overloads and sustained territorial pressure. The Babazorros will look to pack the central lanes, absorb heavy spells of possession, and strike on quick vertical counters through Lucas Boyé and the red-hot Aitor Mañas.
Team news & squads
Barcelona vs Deportivo Alaves Probable lineups
Manager
- H. Flick
Barcelona face this fixture without Roony Bardghji, Jules Kounde, Dani Olmo, and Xavi Espart through injury. Xavi Espart was hurt during the El Clasico defeat last weekend, adding further pressure to an already depleted defensive unit. Flick confirmed that Frenkie de Jong has returned to training and is available, which provides a welcome boost in midfield. Further team news updates will be added closer to kick-off.
Alaves are without Facundo Garces and Mikel Rodriguez through injury ahead of the trip to Barcelona. Sanchez Flores will need to manage his squad carefully, and further updates on availability are expected before the match.
Form
Barcelona head into this fixture having won three and lost two of their last five matches across all competitions. Their most recent outing was the 2-1 La Liga defeat to Real Madrid, which ended a nine-game winning run in the league. Prior to that, they lost 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, though they had beaten Real Betis 5-2 and Galatasaray 4-1 before those reverses. Across the five matches, Barcelona scored 14 goals and conceded 10.
Alaves have drawn one, won one, and lost three of their last five La Liga matches. Their most recent game ended 1-1 at home to Malaga, and they lost 2-1 to Celta Vigo in their previous outing. They have scored just two goals in their last three matches, pointing to an inconsistent attacking record.
Head-to-Head Record
The most recent meeting between these sides came in May 2026, when Alaves won 1-0 at home in La Liga. Before that, Barcelona won 3-1 at home in November 2025. Across the last five head-to-head matches, Barcelona have won three and Alaves two, with Barcelona scoring a total of 10 goals and conceding three.
Standings
| # | P | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | PTS | Form | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 11 | +29 | 27 | ||
| 2 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 8 | +12 | 25 | ||
| 3 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 25 | 10 | +15 | 24 | ||
| 4 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 14 | +2 | 20 | ||
| 5 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 18 | +1 | 19 | ||
| 6 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 17 | ||
| 7 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 11 | +3 | 12 | ||
| 8 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 9 | +3 | 12 | ||
| 9 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 12 | ||
| 10 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 14 | +1 | 12 | ||
| 11 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 11 | ||
| 12 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 20 | -10 | 11 | ||
| 13 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 26 | -11 | 11 | ||
| 14 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 19 | -3 | 10 | ||
| 15 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 17 | -3 | 10 | ||
| 16 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 20 | -8 | 9 | ||
| 17 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 15 | -10 | 9 | ||
| 18 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 14 | -2 | 8 | ||
| 19 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 17 | -10 | 6 | ||
| 20 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 19 | -12 | 5 |
