Robert Lewandowski’s Goal Secures Barcelona’s Victory Over Alavés
In a tense and surprisingly low-scoring match, the Catalans closed the gap with the league leaders to just four points, while Alavés ended the matchday in the relegation zone.
A Tough Match at the Olímpico
A goal from Robert Lewandowski in the 61st minute secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory for Barcelona against Alavés at the Estadio Olímpico Lluís Companys, tightening the race in LaLiga after Real Madrid's unexpected defeat at the RCDE Stadium.
With the struggles against Las Palmas and Alavés still fresh, Hansi Flick sent his team out with full intensity, knowing that another home slip-up would be unacceptable. However, the Blaugrana squad appeared anxious, inaccurate, and rushed from the opening whistle.
Barcelona only created two real chances in the first half. The first came in the 5th minute when Raphinha fired a shot too wide after a brilliant solo run from Lamine Yamal. The second was a toe-poke attempt from Pedri at the edge of the box, easily saved by Owono in the 43rd minute.
A Chaotic and Uneventful Game
The match was halted in the 9th minute due to a brutal clash between Gavi and Tomás Conechny, which silenced the stadium. Both players were substituted after several minutes of medical attention, with the Argentine leaving on a stretcher with a neck brace, while Gavi walked off under his own power. Carlos Martín and Fermín López came on as replacements.
The stoppage affected Barcelona more, as they struggled to find rhythm against an Alavés side that, under Eduardo Coudet, executed their game plan perfectly, ensuring that little happened on the field.
At halftime, Flick made adjustments, bringing on Eric García for Ronald Araújo to improve ball distribution from the back and Frenkie de Jong for Marc Casadó to add more attacking presence.
Despite continued inaccuracies, Barcelona increased their tempo and gradually found openings in Alavés’ defense.
Lewandowski Breaks the Deadlock
In the 61st minute, Lewandowski finally broke the tie, finishing at the far post after a volley from Lamine Yamal. Moments earlier, the Polish striker had already threatened with a header that narrowly missed the target.
Lamine Yamal also came close to scoring in the previous play, curling a shot that Owono managed to tip wide just before it found the top corner.
After a brief period of offensive dominance, Barcelona shifted focus to protecting their lead. Alavés pushed forward in search of an equalizer but never truly tested Wojciech Szczęsny.
In the end, the visiting side, despite a solid defensive performance, finished the match without a single shot on target and struggled to create any real danger—an underwhelming offensive display that leaves them stuck in the relegation zone.
