FC Barcelona climbed back to the top of the La Liga table — at least temporarily — with a hard-earned 3-1 victory over Deportivo Alavés at the Spotify Camp Nou on Saturday. Despite conceding within the opening minute, the Blaugrana showed character and attacking intensity to overturn the deficit, powered by a brilliant performance from Raphinha and a late clincher from Dani Olmo.
The match began in disastrous fashion for the hosts as Pablo Ibáñez tapped in unmarked after a corner, catching the Barça defense asleep. But the response was swift and emphatic. Lamine Yamal equalized with a composed finish following an excellent move initiated by Alejandro Balde and capped by a perfectly measured cross from Raphinha.
Raphinha, returning to the starting XI for the first time in two months, was sensational throughout the first half. Relentless pressing, sharp movement, and incisive creativity defined his display, and he crowned it with a superb assist to set up Dani Olmo for Barça’s second goal.
Alavés threatened intermittently, twice coming close to leveling the score, but were denied first by a spectacular save from Joan Garcia and later by a heroic goal-line block from Gerard Martín. Martín, growing increasingly assured at centre-back, was influential not only defensively but also in build-up play thanks to his strong distribution.
Marc Bernal made his first start in 15 months and understandably showed signs of rust, struggling to keep up with the tempo. The youngster nevertheless produced a handful of neat touches and passes before being substituted.
Despite controlling the game, Barcelona failed to put the contest to bed sooner, with Yamal and Olmo both missing big opportunities. Raphinha, outstanding on the day, received a standing ovation as he left the pitch after an outstanding 60-minute shift.
The tension lingered into the closing stages as Alavés probed for an equalizer, but Barcelona’s well-timed offside trap denied any clear breakthrough. Deep into stoppage time, Yamal fed Olmo inside the box and the Spanish international sealed the result with a calm finish, sparking relief around Camp Nou.
It was not a flawless performance, but given the quality of Alavés’ defense and the number of chances created, Barça can take confidence from a resilient comeback and three vital points.
The victory sets the stage for a massive encounter, with Atlético Madrid arriving on Tuesday for a top-of-the-table showdown
Discussion about this post