Barcelona Hold On Late as Olmo Brace Seals Hard-Fought Win Over Spirited Alaves
Barcelona survived a shaky second half but still claimed a 3-1 victory over Alaves at Camp Nou, with Dani Olmo scoring twice and Lamine Yamal starring on a night full of nervy moments.
Barcelona got the job done, but it was far from straightforward. A sloppy second half almost cost them, yet a late surge saw them beat a spirited Alaves side 3-1 at Camp Nou to keep pace in the La Liga title race.
Alaves stunned the home crowd before many had found their seats, taking the lead inside the first minute. A corner dropped awkwardly in the box, Parada knocked it down, and Ibanez reacted fastest to tap in from close range on his 100th league appearance. The early blow sent a jolt through Barcelona, but the response was instant. In the eighth minute, a silky move from the right ended with Lewandowski flicking on Raphinhas cutback, and Yamal thumped the ball into the roof of the net at the back post. Just like that, it was 1-1.
Barcelona slowly built momentum and took the lead in the 26th minute. Once again, Raphinha provided the spark, sliding an inch-perfect ball across the edge of the box into the path of Olmo. The midfielder steadied himself and guided a superb side-footed finish past Sivera to make it 2-1. With 1.10 xG in the first half to Alaves impressive 1.42 xG, Barcelona went into the break ahead but still looking vulnerable.
The second half exposed those vulnerabilities even more. Barcelona dominated possession early on but wasted chance after chance. Yamal bent a curling effort just over, Olmo scuffed a golden opening across goal, and Lewandowski saw a bullet header denied by a brilliant reaction stop from Sivera. Alaves sensed the nerves and pushed forward with purpose. Boye forced Cubarsi into a heroic block, and Guridi raced through on goal late on, finishing smartly before being denied by the offside flag. Replays showed he was onside, a massive escape for Barcelona.
Despite Alaves growing belief, the home side eventually killed the contest in the 93rd minute. Yamal carried the ball down the right with patience well beyond his years, waited for Olmo to burst into space, and played the perfect pass. Olmo took one touch to settle himself and then swept a cool left-footed strike beyond Sivera to secure his brace and the three points.
Barcelona ended the match with 2.21 xG, outdoing Alaves 1.53 xG, and while the victory was deserved, the performance raised questions. Flicks men showed class in attack but concerning lapses in control and defensive sharpness. Still, with pressure mounting after a bruising Champions League loss to Chelsea, this was a much-needed response to keep their league push intact.
For Alaves, there was fight, structure, and enough threat to trouble big teams. But once again, they lacked the finishing edge at key moments. Their poor run continues, though this spirited showing will give them confidence heading into crucial fixtures.
