Alaves vs Barcelona Match Preview
Tournament – La Liga
Date – Saturday, February 3
Kick-off Time – 11:30 pm IST
Venue – Mendizorrotza Stadium
Deportivo Alaves have mostly struggled this season but have recently picked up good form in La Liga. They are 11th in the table and have won their last three league games.
Alaves were eliminated from the Copa del Rey Round of 16, losing 2-0 against Athletic Club but bounced back with two straight wins in the league over Cadiz and Almeria.
Meanwhile, Barcelona have struggled this season by their standards. Manager Xavi Hernandez has announced that he will leave the club at the end of the season. They are fourth in La Liga, eight points behind leaders Girona.
Barca have also been eliminated from the domestic cup competitions. They have won four of their last five league games though, beating Girona 1-0 at home in their last game.
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Team News and Injury Update
Alaves will be without Andoni Gorosabel due to suspension for the Barca clash. Aleksandar Sedlar is out for the season due to an ACL injury.
Meanwhile, Barcelona are missing nine players due to injuries. These include Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Inigo Martinez, Joao Felix, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Raphinha. Ferran Torres also suffered an injury during their last game against Osasuna.
Predicted Lineups
Alaves:
Goalkeeper: Antonio Sivera
Defenders: Ruben Duarte, Rafa Marin, Nahuel Tenaglia
Midfielders: Jon Guridi, Antonio Blanco, Ander Guevara
Attackers: Luis Rioja, Samuel Omorodion, Carlos Vicente
Barcelona:
Goalkeeper: Inaki Pena
Defenders: Jules Kounde, Ronaldo Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Joao Cancelo
Midfielders: Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong
Attackers: Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Vitor Roque
Head-to-Head
Alaves and Barcelona have faced off 16 times across competitions, with Barca winning a whopping 13 times. Alaves have beaten the Blaugrana just once while two of their meetings have ended in a draw.
Last five results:
Barcelona 2-1 Alaves – La Liga – November 12, 2023
Alaves 0-1 Barcelona – La Liga – January 24, 2022
Barcelona 1-1 Alaves – La Liga – October 31, 2021
Barcelona 5-1 Alaves – La Liga – November 1, 2020
Alaves 0-5 Barcelona – La Liga – July 19, 2020
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Prediction
Alaves have picked up some terrific form in La Liga and are unbeaten in their last four games. They also haven’t conceded a single goal in their last two league games and will look to continue with their upward trajectory.
Meanwhile, Barcelona have had to deal with numerous issues this season, and an injury to in-form attack Ferran Torres is another one. With Robert Lewandowski out of form, 16-year-old Lamine Yamal will again have the responsibility to create for his side.
Predicted Score: Alaves 2-2 Barcelona
Odds (subject to change)
- Alaves win – 4.60
- Barcelona win – 1.88
- Draw – 3.90
- Odds source – Oddspedia.com
Where to Watch
India – Jio Cinema, Sports 18
UK – ITV
US – ESPN+
Spain- Fubo TV