At 1:30 a.m. Beijing time on February 4, the 23rd round of La Liga in the 2023-24 season ushered in a high-profile match: Alaves vs Barcelona.
This game is crucial for Barcelona as they have been the defending champions and have had a sluggish season, especially in the recent slump, and their title hopes have become very slim. Barcelona are currently third in La Liga, 10 points behind Real Madrid at the top of the table, eight points behind second-placed Girona and level on points with fourth-placed Atletico Madrid. If there is no major improvement, they may only be able to retain Champions League qualification.
Although Alaves is a small club, it is not easy to deal with. They are twelfth in the La Liga table, 10 points above Cadiz in the relegation zone, and are in no hope of qualifying for Europe and have no relegation worries.
Barcelona fielded a strong starting lineup for this game, with a total value of 4900 million euros. However, their performance did not reach the expected level. In the 23rd minute, Gundogan went straight in front, Lewandowski stepped forward to get the ball, got rid of the goalkeeper and scored a goal, breaking the six-game goal drought. It was a moment for Lewandowski to show his style as a former World Footballer of the Year winner.
In the 49th minute, Yamal distributed the ball to the left, Pedri picked out a cross at the back post, and Gundogan volleyed in to help Barcelona extend their lead. Although Alaves pulled one back with a header from Omorodion in the 51st minute, Barcelona showed great attacking power in the following period. In the 63rd minute, Frenkie de Jong made a direct stop, Ford made a clever pass from the left, and the 18-year-old Brazilian star Roque followed up to seal the win.
Despite Roque being sent off with a second yellow card in the 72nd minute, Barcelona maintained their 3-1 lead until the end.
Hundreds of spectators