La Liga: Alaves vs Barcelona Live
Preview
Barcelona will aim to secure consecutive wins in La Liga as they face Alaves in an away match on Saturday evening. Xavi’s team, currently in fourth place, will go into the game following a 1-0 victory against Osasuna, while Alaves, in good form, won 3-0 against bottom-placed Almeria in their previous match.
Alaves have not defeated Barcelona since September 2016, but they will come into this match in good form, having won four of their last five games in all competitions, including their last three in La Liga. The Basque team has earned 10 points from their last four matches, drawing with Real Sociedad and then securing victories over Sevilla, Cadiz, and Almeria. This strong performance has propelled them to 11th place in the table, now 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
Alaves are now aiming for a top-10 finish, sitting just three points behind 10th-placed Getafe. They have accumulated 16 points from their 10 home league matches this season, winning five of them. Luis Garcia’s team will have consecutive home games against Barcelona and Villarreal before facing Real Betis and Mallorca to close out the month. Alaves earned promotion to La Liga through last season’s Segunda Division playoffs and finished ninth in 2016-17, their first campaign back in the top flight after spells in the second and third tiers.
Barca recently secured a 1-0 win against Osasuna, with Vitor Roque scoring his first goal for the club. Despite a recent loss to Villarreal, Barcelona is currently in fourth place in the table with 14 wins, five draws, and three defeats from 22 matches, totaling 47 points. The team is still in the title race and has won four of their last five league matches. They will face Alaves, Granada, and Celta Vigo in their upcoming La Liga matches before heading to Napoli for the first leg of their last-16 Champions League clash on February 21. Barca has the third-best away record in La Liga this season, earning 20 points from 10 matches.
Head-to-head
Barca will depend on their history, having won 11 and drawn 2 of their last 13 matches against Alaves. This includes a close 2-1 win for Blaugrana in La Liga last November.
Prediction
This match is difficult to predict, especially with Alaves’ recent strong performance. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a home win or a draw. However, Barcelona must continue winning to remain in the title race, and we believe they will secure a crucial three points.
