PREVIEW | FC Barcelona v Alavés

After going unbeaten in all competitions, things have gone far less to plan at FC Barcelona in the last fortnight. They lost El Clásico at home to Real Madrid and were also beaten in the Champions League for the first time this season, 2-1 to Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday. In between, a Ronald Araujo goal in the very final seconds secured a crucial victory at Real Sociedad, although coach Xavi Hernández readily admitted afterwards that they probably deserved to lose that one too.

It's by no means a crisis, but has certainly been something of a lull in form, and this Sunday at 4.15pm CET, the Catalans have an ideal chance to start setting things straight again. They're at home to Alavés, who are back in the top flight after bouncing straight back up from the second division last season. The Basques may have started 2023/23 quite well, but they were on a run of seven games without a win before they picked up three much-needed points last weekend at home to bottom-of-the-table Almeria.

And Saturday's results elsewhere have done nothing to aid the Barça cause...

How things stand

Barça are third in the table going into the last weekend before club football takes another break for international fixtures. The gap with Real Madrid had narrowed to just two points after the all-whites were held to a draw by Rayo Vallecano last Sunday, but for the moment at least it's opened up to five again after Madrid thumped Valencia 5-1 on Saturday.

But the leaders for yet another week are Surprise package Girona, who once again had to come from behind but eventually made it six wins in a row by defeating Rayo Vallecano 2-1.

Knowing the two sides above them have already won this weekend puts extra pressure on Barça, while should they fail to beat Alavés, then that opens up an opportunity for Atlético Madrid to climb back above them into third. After an unexpected setback away to Las Palmas last week, the red-and-whites now entertain Villarreal in Sunday's late kick-off, and also have one game in hand.

Team news

Barça are gradually getting over what was an alarming injury pile-up, and the only unavailable players now are Frenkie de Jong and Sergi Roberto. However, midfielder Gavi will also have to sit this one out due to a yellow card suspension.

Alavés are without Giuliano Simeone, the son of Atlético manager Diego, who has a broken ankle, has yet to play this season due to injury. The team was also dealt a major blow last week when Serbian centre back Aleksandar Sedlar was stretchered off the pitch and will probably out for the rest of the season.

Last time we met

Although Alavés were relegated at the end of the 2021/22 season, there was nothing about their performances in the two games with Barça to suggest they were second division material. It took almost a hour for Barça to finally score through Memphis Depay at Spotify Camp Nou, but Alavés replied just a few minutes later and held on for a 1-1 draw.

Barça also struggled big time at Mendizorrotza, and it took a Frenkie de Jong goal three minutes from the end to avoid a 0-0 draw. 

Did you know?

Ilkay Gündogan needs just one more assist to equal his personal best for a single season. And it's still only November!

The last two times that Joao Félix faced Alavés (when he was playing for Atlético), he totalled two goals and an assist. Let's hope he can do the same thing in blaugrana.

Look out for Luis Rioja. He has scored in both of his last two visits to FC Barcelona.

Barça have slipped against Alavés in the past, but nevertheless, they are currently on a run of 17 games without defeat to them.

Xavi says

In the pre-match press conference, Xavi was very honest in admitting "in the last two games we haven't played well", but he is clear that "we have to get our style of play back" and that by being "more loyal to our identity", "the results will come back".