FC Barcelona Falls to Deportivo Alaves in La Liga Clash
Match Overview
Photo: @goalsside/X
Madrid, May 14: FC Barcelona, having already clinched the La Liga title, faced a setback with a 1-0 defeat against Deportivo Alaves.
Just three days after their title celebrations, Barcelona's performance on Sunday fell short of expectations, showing signs of fatigue from their recent festivities.
The match's sole goal was scored by Ibrahim Diabate just before halftime. The Alaves forward took advantage of a setup inside the box, striking a low shot past goalkeeper Szczesny to net his first goal at Mendizorrotza.
This victory propelled Alaves out of the relegation zone, keeping their hopes of survival alive.
In need of points to escape relegation, the home team gradually found their rhythm. Szczesny was increasingly called into action, ultimately conceding just before the halftime whistle.
After a corner, Diabate outmaneuvered Marc Bernal and unleashed a powerful volley that left the Polish keeper with no chance.
Diabate almost doubled the lead early in the second half, but Szczesny made a crucial save to deny his header. For much of the match, Alaves balanced between defending their narrow lead and seeking a second goal, ultimately excelling in defense.
As the match drew to a close, Alaves fortified their defense around their penalty area, striving to disrupt Barcelona's passing game and manage the clock. The match saw few clear opportunities, minimal fluid play, and surprisingly little stoppage time.
Upon the final whistle, Alaves celebrated a crucial win in their battle against relegation, while Barcelona's aspirations for a 100-point season were dashed.
In other matches, Sevilla triumphed 3-2 over Villarreal, climbing to 10th place in the league standings.
Villarreal, already qualified for the next UEFA Champions League, initially took a 2-0 lead with goals from Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze. However, Oso and Kike Salas equalized before halftime, and Akor Adams secured the win with a goal in the 72nd minute.