Barcelona emerged with a slender 1-0 victory in an entertaining encounter against Deportivo Alavés in LaLiga, as the brilliance of Robert Lewandowski finally came to be the difference maker between both sides as the Catalan giants took all three points from the match in a very tight and disciplined Basque Country rearguard show.
A Defensive Battle in Montjuïc
The game kicked off with both teams showing intent, but Barcelona quickly assumed control of possession. Xavi’s men dictated the tempo, with Pedri and Casadó orchestrating play from midfield. However, Alavés stood firm, closing spaces and limiting clear-cut chances for the hosts.
But the brightest of Barcelona's sparks was Lamine Yamal, bright down the right flank where he made a number of promising runs. Inside, the third minute tested the Alaves defense and whipped a dangerous cross to Raphinha, and the shot saw the Brazilian curl wide. Eventually, Alavés was allowed a few deep counterattacks, and Kike Garcia and Carlos Vincente to find their shooting way in fact, but across the back, the duo Koundé-Araujo did not budge.
The first scare of the match saw Gavi and Conechny clash heads on the 8th minute mark. Both have received medical treatment, but seem to continue playing. Gavi did, though Conechny did not look to be able to. In came both Fermín and Carlos Martín pretty early in this match.
Barcelona Failure to Break Down
But Barcelona were not translating this possession dominance into goals in the first half. For the most part, Lewandowski found himself in one of those small pockets that was marshaled by two or three defenders. Pedri tried his luck from distance in 42 minutes - a shot which was collected comfortably by Owono.
With no breakthrough, six minutes of stoppage time were added to the end of the first half. Lewandowski had one final attempt before the whistle, but his shot was blocked by an alert Alavés defender as the teams went into the break with the score all square at 0-0, frustration apparent in the ranks of Barcelona.
Second Half: Lewandowski Makes the Difference
Really bright. High pressing from Barça from the second-half whistle: Xavi has gone for the double substitution inside the first three minutes, which means Casadó and Araújo had to go for De Jong and Eric García.
That finally broke in the 61st minute as Lamine Yamal had been tireless on the right flank, popping in a well-timed cross in the box that Lewandowski-nested in between the center-backs, being a predator of his kind-tucked calmly past Owono to make it 1-0. The stadium erupted in cheers from ecstatic Barcelona fans since his shot marked what would be a winning goal.
Alavés did try to respond but didn't seem to find as many clear openings. Martínez and Novoa come on for Guridi and Vicente after 76 minutes when once again the visitors show little in terms of real attacking impetus to unsettle Szczesny in the opposing goal. For Barcelona, there is a defensive substitution on Ferran Torres and Gerard Martín as the Catalans really want to handle the game as much as this result.
The final minutes of the game saw Alavés press again, and it was Cubarsí this time in the 85-minute mark of the game to deny visitors an equalizer. More piling from Alavés was witnessed with much composure that simply wasn't there to break a solid backline.
Four minutes of stoppage time were then announced, but Barça remained cool, calm and collected. In the 91 minute, he was withdrawn for a well-deserved standing ovation as Víctor replaced him. A couple of desperate attempts from Alavés later, the referee finally blew his whistle to wrap up a hard-fought 1-0 win for the Blaugrana.
Tactical Analysis
Dominant but again, they struggled to break up compact defending. A Xavi-dominated performance in pace never really turned out with clear cut moments or any real menace in the last third. Replacement De Jong imposed better circulation while on the wing, Yamal played a more vital role by setting up what turned out to be the decider.
Defensively, Barcelona were sound, with Koundé and Cubarsí putting on good displays. Szczesny was rarely tested as a result of a disciplined defensive setup. The real plus for Alavés was how well they stuck to their game plan, compact and limiting Barcelona to very few clear-cut chances, but the lack of attacking threat meant they never really tested the Barcelona goalkeeper.
Player Performances
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) – 8/10
Match-winner Lewandowski showed experience and finishing at the right moment. He didn't have too much space out there but he did well, capitalising on that one opportunity.
Lamine Yamal - Barcelona - 8.5/10
Most dangerous player for Barcelona all night, looked electric on that right wing and created the goal assist while bothering the Alaves defense all through the night
Ronald Araújo- Barcelona -7.5/10
A rock at the back, Araújo ensured Alavés did not have too many clear-cut opportunities in front of the goal.
Jesús Owono (Alavés) – 7/10
Despite conceding a goal, Owono had a pretty decent game between the posts, where he pulled off some important saves to keep his team in the hunt.
Jon Guridi (Alavés) – 6.5/10
Hustled hard in midfield but sans that spark which would have been needed to perturb the Barca defence.
What's Next for Both Teams?
Barcelona win to continue their crawl up the table in LaLiga. Attention for Xavi now goes to the next fixtures, for which they must capitalize on with this win and make amends with their attack.
Poor defeat for Alavés - though not an unexpected one. Firm and organized, but without striking power to steal one point, now the focus goes to the next match trying to gain higher places on the standings.
Final Thoughts
It was a test of patience and perseverance as Barcelona defeated Alavés 1-0. Not the most spectacular match, but it was important in their title challenge. The decisive goal by Lewandowski underlined his value to the team, with the creativity offered by Yamal offering a glimpse of what the future may hold for Barcelona. Alavés can take some comfort from the decent defending, but on the flip side, their lack of attacking threat is a worry.
It's now all about fine-tuning their attack with LaLiga well underway, and a way of becoming more potent in the final third for Alavés, as both teams are a distance from a key battle yet this season.