Preview: Alaves vs Barcelona – prediction, team news, lineups

Contemporary from being confirmed as La Liga winners for the 2025-26 marketing campaign, Barcelona will proceed their home marketing campaign away to relegation-threatened Alaves on Wednesday evening.

Hansi Flick’s facet secured the title with a 2-0 win over Actual Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday, and they’re going to now sort out an Alaves outfit that sit 18th within the La Liga desk.

Match preview

Alaves have solely really misplaced two of their final eight La Liga matches, however they’ve gained simply twice throughout that interval, and the Basque outfit are firmly concerned within the relegation battle in Spain’s prime flight heading in direction of the ultimate straight.

El Glorioso will enter this recreation off the again of a 1-1 draw with Elche, and so they sit 18th within the La Liga desk, one level behind Seventeenth-placed Girona, who face Rayo Vallecano on Monday evening.

Quique Sanchez Flores’ facet will tackle Actual Oviedo and Rayo Vallecano of their ultimate two league matches of the season, and wins in each of these video games are usually not past them, however a defeat in opposition to Barcelona on this contest would go away them extraordinarily susceptible.

Alaves have picked up 24 factors from their 17 house league matches this season, which is just the 14th-best file within the division, and they are going to be internet hosting a Barcelona facet which have the most effective away file in La Liga this time period, securing 37 factors from 17 video games.

Earlier this season, Barcelona recorded a 3-1 victory over Alaves, and the Catalan facet are presently on a six-game profitable run in opposition to El Glorioso, together with a 3-0 success within the corresponding recreation through the 2024-25 season.

Barcelona might be on a excessive heading into this match, having secured the La Liga title on Sunday night with a 2-0 success over bitter rivals Actual Madrid; Flick’s facet are extremely 14 factors forward of second-placed Los Blancos with three video games left.

The Catalan outfit have been victorious in every of their final 11 matches in Spain’s prime flight, whereas they’ve gained their final six in all competitions, however their elimination within the quarter-finals of the Champions League to Atletico Madrid will nonetheless be on their minds.

Planning is already underway for subsequent season, with defensive reinforcements wanted with the intention to make a critical play for the European Cup in 2026-27, however they are going to be aiming to complete their home marketing campaign with three extra wins over Alaves, Actual Betis and Valencia.

Barcelona comfortably lead the head-to-head file in opposition to Alaves, with the Catalan outfit profitable 36 of their earlier 50 matches, struggling solely seven defeats within the course of.

In La Liga, the 2 groups have met on 39 events, with Barcelona profitable 27 of these encounters, whereas Alaves haven’t managed to beat the Catalan group on house soil since December 2001 – demonstrating the dimensions of El Glorioso’s job on Wednesday evening.

Alaves La Liga kind:

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Barcelona La Liga kind:

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Barcelona kind (all competitions):

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Workforce Information

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Alaves will once more be lacking Lucas Boye (muscle) and Facundo Garces (suspended) on Wednesday evening, whereas the hosts must make checks on each Toni Martinez and Jon Guridi after the pair have been pressured off within the 1-1 draw with Elche.

Martinez has scored seven instances in his final seven La Liga appearances, and Alaves are hopeful that the striker might be cleared to characteristic in opposition to the champions.

Carles Alena can be accessible once more following a suspension and may face his former membership, whereas one other ex-Barcelona participant Denis Suarez might be launched into the XI.

As for Barcelona, Lamine Yamal stays unavailable for choice as a consequence of a hamstring harm, whereas Raphinha, who is just simply again from a muscular downside of his personal, will miss out right here as a result of milestone yellow card that he picked up in opposition to Actual Madrid.

Andreas Christensen is again in coaching following a critical knee harm, and there’s hope that the Denmark worldwide might characteristic earlier than the top of the marketing campaign.

Barcelona boss Flick is anticipated to ring the modifications from El Clasico, with Jules Kounde, Alejandro Balde, Ronald Araujo and Frenkie de Jong doubtlessly all being launched, along with Robert Lewandowski, who has seven targets in his earlier 5 appearances in opposition to Alaves.

Alaves attainable beginning lineup:

Sivera; Perez, Otto, Tenaglia, Parada, Rebbach; Suarez, Blanco, Alena; Martinez, Diabate

Barcelona attainable beginning lineup:

J Garcia; Kounde, E Garcia, Araujo, Balde; De Jong, Pedri; Rashford, Gavi, Fermin; Lewandowski

We are saying: Alaves 1-3 Barcelona

Alaves desperately want a optimistic consequence to spice up their survival hopes, however Barcelona are merely flying for the time being, and we predict the champions to place one other win on the board.

For information evaluation of the almost definitely outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click on right here.