FC Barcelona (2nd, 31pts) vs Deportivo Alaves (14th, 15pts)
Competition/Round: 2025-26 La Liga, Matchday 14
Barcelona Outs & Doubts: Marc-André ter Stegen, Ronald Araujo, Gavi, Fermín López (out)
Alavés Outs & Doubts: Nikola Maras (doubt)
Date/Time: Saturday, November 29, 2025, 4.15pm CET/WAT (Barcelona & Nigeria), 3.15pm GMT (UK), 10.15am ET, 7.15am PT (USA), 8.45pm IST (India)
Venue: Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Referee: Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias
VAR: Jorge Figueroa Vázquez
How to watch on TV: ESPN Deportes (USA), SuperSport (Nigeria), others
How to watch online: ESPN+ (USA), LaLigaTV (UK), FanCode (India), DAZN (Spain), others
Following a painful defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League in midweek, Barcelona return to La Liga action for their second straight game back at The Greatest Stadium on Earth as they welcome Deportivo Alavés on Saturday afternoon.
Barça come into this one desperate for not only three points, which would give them a temporary two-point lead at the top of the table until Real Madrid play on Sunday, but also for a performance that shows they are on the right track after a dreadful night at Stamford Bridge.
It’s obvious that a victory over fourteenth-place Alavés won’t solve every issue and questions will remain until Barça face another opponent as good as Chelsea, but it’s certainly a better alternative to struggling and barely squeaking by a pretty average mid-table La Liga side.
That is the truth about Alavés: they are average. Which isn’t a bad thing from their perspective and means they’ll probably avoid relegation this season, but this is a very unimpressive team. Alavés play a pretty basic 4-4-2 and are entirely reliant on their ability to defend: they have the third-worst attack in the league by goals scored and the fourth-worst by expected goals, but are also second-best in goals conceded and number one in expected goals allowed.
Alavés have won just one of their last five and have scored just twice in the league over the last month, but they do have a couple of talented players in the squad, namely two former Blaugrana midfielders in Denis Suárez and Carles Aleñá. Coach Eduardo Coudet is a La Liga veteran who has caused Barça problems in the past, and will no doubt design a plan based on staying solid at the back and trying to exploit the Blaugrana’s vulnerabilities in transition, which were once again on full display in London.
Barça’s opponents on Saturday deserve respect because every opponent does, but this is not Chelsea, or even Athletic Club whom Barça beat comfortably last week. Alavés will be tough to break down, but if Barça want to show that the loss in London was purely a fluke and that this team can still compete for it all this season, they need to win this one decisively.
Let’s dance.
POSSIBLE LINEUPS
Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Joan; Kounde, Eric, Christensen, Martín; Casadó, De Jong; Yamal, Olmo, Rashford; Lewandowski
Alavés (4-4-2): Sivera; Jonny, Tenaglia, Pacheco, Enríquez; Calebe, Blanco, Denis, Aleñá; Boyè, Martínez
PREDICTION
The pattern of this match will be pretty obvious: Barça will have the ball and Alavés will trust their defensive structure and try to frustrate Barça as long as they can, looking to prey on their tactical and psychological vulnerabilities. So it’s up to the home team to be clinical in front of goal and avoid any late drama, and I think they’ll do that: 3-0 Barça.
