Sunday1 November 2026English edition
Talas & Talasim
Arabic
Report · La Liga

Barcelona's attack overpowers Alavés despite Flick's defensive reshuffle

Barcelona's makeshift defence was overshadowed by an attack that overwhelmed Alavés in a 6-1 win, with Fermín López involved in each of the first three goals. Four before half-time gave Hansi Flick's side a lead the visitors could not seriously threaten.

Editorial board · 1 November 2026
A wide view of the illuminated Camp Nou pitch, with players on the field and packed stands beneath the stadium roof.
Camp Nou during the Joan Gamper match in August 2019. Andrés Aburto / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Barcelona's makeshift defence was overshadowed by an attack that overwhelmed Alavés in a 6-1 win, with Fermín López involved in each of the first three goals. Four before half-time gave Hansi Flick's side a lead the visitors could not seriously threaten.

Barcelona · 4-3-3Alavés · 4-5-1Joan GarcíaGarcíaBrian FariñasFariñasPau CubarsíCubarsíFrenkie de Jongde JongJoão CanceloCanceloFermín LópezLópezRodriRodriPedriPedriLamine YamalYamalRaphinhaRaphinhaKarim AdeyemiAdeyemiAntonio SiveraSiveraJonnyJonnyNahuel TenagliaTenagliaVille KoskiKoskiYoussef LekhedimLekhedimÁngel PérezPérezCarlos ProtesoniProtesoniAnder GuevaraGuevaraDenis SuárezSuárezAbde RebbachRebbachLucas BoyéBoyé
· Confirmed 19:15 UTC · Line-ups: espn.com

Flick had six players unavailable, four of them defenders, and used Brian Fariñas at right-back with Frenkie de Jong alongside Pau Cubarsí in central defence. Pedri's pass sent Fermín down the left to square for Raphinha's opener; Lamine Yamal then supplied Fermín, who finished from a tight angle.

Alavés briefly threatened to change the course of the afternoon, striking the crossbar and forcing Joan García to deny Carlos Protesoni. That spell ended when Fermín won possession and supplied Raphinha for his second, before Lamine made it 4-0 with a low strike from the edge of the area.

Barcelona maintained their hold after the break. Gabriel Jesus released Yamal behind the defence for a delicate finish, awarded after VAR overturned an offside decision; Rodri then sent Anthony Gordon through for a chipped sixth. Mariano Díaz punished a later turnover by Rodri for Alavés' only goal.

The win put Barcelona back on top of LaLiga with 30 points, two ahead of Atlético Madrid, after defeats to Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. Aston Villa visit in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Flick could not yet say when Jules Koundé, Andreas Christensen or Eric García would return.