Barcelona secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against relegation-threatened Alavés in La Liga, reducing the points gap with league leaders Real Madrid to just four. The Catalan giants took full advantage of Madrid’s unexpected 1-0 defeat to Espanyol, reigniting their title hopes.
Match Summary
The game at the Olympic Stadium saw Barcelona push forward from the start. In the 6th minute, 16-year-old Lamine Yamal orchestrated a brilliant attacking move, dribbling past multiple defenders before setting up Raphinha on the left. However, the Brazilian’s shot failed to hit the target.
A concerning moment followed in the 7th minute when Barcelona’s Gavi and Alavés’ Tomás Conechny collided heavily. The match was halted for a significant period, with Conechny stretchered off. Although Gavi attempted to continue, he was eventually replaced by Fermín López.
Barcelona kept creating chances but failed to capitalize. Robert Lewandowski struggled to convert a promising opportunity inside the box in the 30th minute, and Pedri’s powerful long-range strike in the 43rd minute was denied by Alavés goalkeeper Jesús Owono. The first half ended goalless.
Lewandowski Delivers the Winning Goal
Barcelona’s relentless attacks finally paid off in the 61st minute. From a well-delivered corner, Lewandowski capitalized inside the six-yard box, calmly slotting the ball home to give Barcelona the lead. The Polish striker’s crucial goal secured all three points for the hosts.
Yamal nearly doubled the advantage later in the match, but his effort was brilliantly saved by Owono. Alavés, determined to stay in the fight, had their best chance in the 87th minute when Santiago Moreno fired a shot just wide of Barcelona’s goal.
Despite a late push from Alavés, Barcelona held firm to claim the win. This defeat marks Alavés’ second league loss under new manager Eduardo Coudet, who took charge in December.
League Standings After the Match
With this victory, Barcelona now sits in third place with 45 points from 22 matches (14 wins, 3 draws). Atlético Madrid holds second place with 48 points, while Real Madrid remains at the top with 49 points. Meanwhile, Alavés struggles in the relegation zone, sitting in 18th place with 21 points and 11 losses from 22 matches.
Barcelona’s title hopes are still alive, but consistency will be key as the La Liga race tightens in the coming weeks.
