Alaves visitors from the Basque Country were crushed 6-1 by Barcelona, who stayed at the top of La Liga
Barcelona 6-1 Alaves was the scoreline on Saturday. Raphinha and Lamine Yamal each scored two goals at Camp Nou. The win sent Barça back to the top of La Liga after two costly losses.
Atletico Madrid, who sit second, had already won 2-0 away at Levante earlier in the day. Barça, however, restored their two-point cushion over the Rojiblancos by crushing the visitors from the Basque Country.
Hansi Flick's men were still hurting from a Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain. A week ago they had also lost at home to Real Madrid in La Liga, in the Clasico. But they found their rhythm again in Barcelona 6-1 Alaves.
How Barcelona 6-1 Alaves unfolded
Raphinha scored a double before the break, with a Fermin Lopez goal coming in between, and Yamal added another shortly ahead of half-time in Barcelona 6-1 Alaves.
Yamal, who is still a teenager, scored again around the middle of the second half. Then Anthony Gordon, brought on as a substitute, lifted the ball over the goalkeeper to make it 6-0 to Barça. Alaves pulled one back through Mariano Diaz.
Every match played that day opened with a minute of silence to honour the 69 people killed in the rail disaster in Toledo province, which has shaken Spain this week.
Flick's line-up had Dutch international Frenkie de Jong deployed at centre-back, while youngster Brian Farinas made his full debut in the right-back berth, as injuries had thinned out the defence. The champions did not appear to suffer for it.
Raphinha and Lopez put Barça in control
Raphinha, La Liga's leading marksman, kept up his sizzling form as Barcelona went in front after eight minutes.
Pedri, the midfield maestro, set up Lopez, whose cut-back was bundled into the net by the Brazil international.
Abde Rebbach almost levelled for Alaves, but Lopez then made it 2-0 to Barcelona on 23 minutes.
Yamal threaded the midfielder through. From a narrow angle Lopez drove his effort across the face of the goal. It crept in at the back post by luck, as he looked to have meant it as a cross.
Raphinha showed his team-mates how it should be done, netting his 15th La Liga goal of the Spanish campaign. Adeyemi and Yamal had both wasted decent chances near goal that might have extended the lead.
Lopez sent a forward pass into space, and Raphinha calmly slotted the ball past Antonio Sivera with a lethal finish.
Yamal and Gordon complete the rout
Yamal, seemingly annoyed by an earlier miss, hit the fourth with a quick, low shot from just outside the box. It came late in stoppage time as the first half drew to a close.
Shortly after the restart, Lopez unselfishly set up Adeyemi, who blazed another reasonable chance well over the bar.
Barça's fifth came from Yamal, who chipped neatly above the keeper once substitute Gabriel Jesus had sent him clear.
Gordon finished in much the same fashion to make it six for Barça, and the single blemish on their night was a late goal from Diaz, once a striker at Real Madrid.
Seven wins on the trot
Before that, in Valencia, Diego Simeone's Atletico had briefly moved one point above the Catalan side, thanks to strikes from Alejandro Grimaldo and Giuliano Simeone in their match with Levante.
That made it seven league victories on the trot for Atletico, who kept up their impressive run and increased the heat on the defending champions.
Speaking to Movistar, Atletico coach Simeone said: “I’m very happy with the team’s work.”
“We’re very far from the end of the season … we’ll keep going game by game.”
Alex Baena, who was the creative spark for the travelling side, provided the assist for both goals. The result gave Simeone his 344th La Liga victory in charge of Atletico, level with the club record held by Luis Aragones.
Simeone, in charge of Atletico since 2011, said: “I don't feel it much as mine, but it belongs to my players, everyone who has been with me for so many years.”
What comes next after Barcelona 6-1 Alaves
The fixtures ahead for the leading sides are:
- Tuesday: Atletico entertain Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
- Next weekend: Barça visits the Metropolitano stadium for a La Liga clash with Atletico.
- Sunday: Real Madrid, who sit third under Jose Mourinho, travel to face Racing Santander, with other games on the card.
