Raphinha and Lamine Yamal both scored twice as Barcelona beat Alavés 6-1 at Spotify Camp Nou on Saturday night to restore their two-point lead at the top of LaLiga. Fermín López scored once and set up two goals, and Anthony Gordon came off the bench to add the sixth.
Match facts
- Result: Barcelona 6-1 Alavés (half-time 4-0)
- Competition: LaLiga EA Sports, Matchday 11
- Venue: Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona
- Scorers: Barcelona - Raphinha 8', 41', Fermín López 23', Lamine Yamal 45+1', 64', Gordon 81'; Alavés - Mariano Díaz 84'
- Red cards: None
- Next: Barcelona v Aston Villa, Champions League, Tuesday 3 November (20:00 UK); Sevilla v Alavés, LaLiga, Friday 6 November (20:00 UK); Atlético Madrid v Barcelona, LaLiga, Sunday 8 November (20:00 UK)
How the match unfolded
Hansi Flick's side came into the 20:00 UK kick-off after defeats by Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, and with six players unavailable, including four defenders. Brian Fariñas made his first-team debut at right-back.
Barcelona needed eight minutes to go ahead. Pedri's pass released Fermín down the left, and he squared for Raphinha to finish a move the club said involved 15 passes and nine players. Alavés almost replied at once, but Abde Rebbach shot over from Ángel Pérez's cross.
Fermín made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute, taking Lamine Yamal's pass and firing in from a tight angle on the right. Alavés hit the crossbar and Joan García saved from Carlos Protesoni, while Antonio Sivera produced a strong one-handed save to deny Lamine Yamal from close range.
Barcelona then scored twice before the break. Fermín won the ball and sent Raphinha through for his second in the 41st minute, and in first-half stoppage time Lamine Yamal took João Cancelo's pass and struck low into the corner from the edge of the area.
Marc Bernal replaced Pedri at half-time. Karim Adeyemi fired over from close range after more good work by Fermín, and Raphinha and Cancelo made way for Gabriel Jesus and Alejandro Balde in the 62nd minute.
Two minutes later Jesus played Lamine Yamal through, and he lifted the ball over Sivera for his second goal. It was first ruled out for offside, but a VAR review showed he had timed his run correctly and the goal stood.
Gordon replaced Lamine Yamal in the 74th minute and scored in the 81st, chipping Sivera after a through ball from Rodri. Three minutes later Rodri gave the ball away, and substitute Mariano Díaz scored a consolation for Alavés.
What does the win mean for Barcelona?
Barcelona are two points clear of Atlético Madrid on 30 points, with ten wins from 11 league games. Last weekend's 2-1 Clásico defeat by Real Madrid had ended a run of nine straight league wins that included a 5-2 win at Real Betis.
According to the club, Raphinha's double took him to 15 league goals in 11 games, equalling a Barcelona benchmark previously set by César Rodríguez and Lionel Messi. Barcelona had 77% of the ball, and the club put the crowd at 53,523.
What happens next?
Barcelona host Aston Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday before a trip to Atlético Madrid next Sunday. Alavés, now seven league games without a win, according to EFE, visit Sevilla on Friday. They are tenth on 12 points, having drawn 1-1 at home to Málaga earlier this month. More results are in our La Liga section.
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Sources
- LaLiga: FC Barcelona vs Deportivo Alavés, Matchday 11 match centre
- FC Barcelona: FC Barcelona 6-1 Alavés: That's more like it!
- FC Barcelona: FC Barcelona - Alavés, La Liga Matchday 11 match page
- BBC Sport: Barcelona vs Alavés
- EFE (via Infobae): 6-1. El Barça se olvida del clásico goleando al Alavés en la noche de Fermín
- ESPN: Barcelona vs Alavés match summary
- Flashscore: Raphinha and Lamine Yamal irresistible as Barcelona thrash Alaves