Injury-Plagued Barcelona Hopes to Regain Balance Against Alavés
Barcelona seeks a win over Alavés to make up for losses.
Translated by Qiyas from الراي — Original source
Barcelona, the league leaders, will host Deportivo Alavés on Saturday at the Spotify Camp Nou in the eleventh round of the Spanish La Liga, in a match where the Catalan side aims to regain its winning rhythm and reconcile with its fans following a 1-2 defeat to traditional rivals Real Madrid in the previous round’s “El Clásico.” The loss narrowed the gap at the top of the table to three points, reigniting excitement in the title race.
Barcelona will enter the encounter under the guidance of German coach Hans-Dieter Flick, with the primary objective of maintaining their position at the summit amid fierce competition for the title. The team is also looking to restore its balance and overcome the psychological impact of the recent defeat, which was their first in the league after nine consecutive victories.
Prior to the loss to Real Madrid, Barcelona also suffered a 4-2 defeat to French club Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League, placing the team under pressure to regain stability amid a congested fixture schedule and declining fitness levels among some of their players.
Flick’s task is further complicated by key absences, particularly in defense. The team will be without the services of French defender Jules Koundé, as well as Xavi Serrano, Eric García, and Dani Olmo due to injury. Meanwhile, the return of Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong provides a significant boost, while Alejandro Balde may be given a more prominent role to help compensate for the defensive shortages.
On the other hand, Alavés are seeking a positive result against the champions, motivated by a desire to prove they can compete with the elite, despite inconsistent performances in recent rounds. Currently sitting in seventh place (12th in the overall standings), Alavés have won only one of their last five league matches and have scored just two goals in their last three games, highlighting the struggles of their attack ahead of this tough test.
Alavés also defeated Barcelona 1-0 last May, giving the visitors extra motivation to replicate that success, although Barcelona have won three of the last five meetings between the two sides.
The round kicks off on Friday when Villarreal face Espanyol. On Saturday, Levante will play Atlético Madrid, Rayo Vallecano will take on Celta Vigo, and Real Betis will host Málaga.
