Barcelona will be looking to recover from their first La Liga loss of the season as they visit Mendizorrotza Stadium to face Alaves.

Alaves finished 10th in La Liga last season after their return to the top flight, and they’ve had a solid start to the new campaign, collecting 10 points from eight matches to sit in 11th place. Under Luis Garcia, the team has recorded three wins, one draw, and four losses, scoring 11 goals so far with contributions spread across the squad. 

Early signs suggest Alaves should be safe from relegation again, but their recent form is a concern, as they’ve lost three of their last four matches, including back-to-back defeats to Real Madrid and Getafe. They have struggled against Barcelona in recent years, losing their last three league encounters and failing to defeat the Catalan giants in La Liga since September 2016, highlighting the challenge they face this weekend.

On the other hand, Alaves will be fresher than Barcelona due to the latter's European commitments. Last weekend, Barcelona suffered a surprising 4-2 defeat to Osasuna, but they bounced back impressively in the Champions League with a 5-0 victory over Young Boys on Tuesday. Given the team’s injury concerns, this strong performance has been encouraging, particularly with new head coach Hansi Flick making a notable impact.

Barcelona started the 2024-25 season strongly, winning their first seven La Liga matches and amassing 21 points, putting them three points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid. They are the top scorers in La Liga this season, netting 25 goals, with Robert Lewandowski leading the charge, having scored nine times in 10 appearances.

Prediction: Barcelona

Alaves vs Barcelona stream and TV listing

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