Deportivo Alaves in Barca's sights as they aim for seventh straight La Liga win
- Owen Thompson
- 11 February 2021
As they look for their seventh consecutive La Liga victory, Barcelona face a struggling Deportivo Alaves side at the Nou Camp on Saturday, and there will be goals.
Overcoming a strong Real Betis side in a five-goal thriller on Sunday, Ronald Koeman's Barcelona came from behind to defeat Los Verdiblancos 3-2 in Seville, recording their sixth straight league win.
The Catalonian outfit maintain second position in La Liga this season, eight points behind high-flying Atletico Madrid, who look set to win their second league title under Diego Simeone's managerial reign.
To many pundits and fans alike, the fate of the 2020/21 trophy is all but sealed, contrary to this however there are still 17 games to play, and Barcelona will do all in their power to pull off yet another famous comeback.
In their hunt for a seventh consecutive victory, Blaugrana will welcome a struggling Alaves side to the Camp Nou, who are in desperate need of points to solidify their hopes of survival.
There's still plenty of work to do for Abelado Fernandez's team who have only won once in their last seven games as they precariously teeter on the edge of the danger zone, with two points separating them and relegation.
A beneficial statistic from Alaves' record, however, is that the aforementioned victory came in their last game, a 1-0 win against an out-of-form Valladolid side, with Joselu's goal being the fixture's difference maker.
Winning at the Camp Nou will be a much harder task for Fernandez's side, and is made an even steeper uphill task by Barcelona's formidable record against them at home.
We've analysed the statistics of the fixture below.
Stat Attack
Alaves have only beaten Barcelona once in the last 19 years, a 2-1 victory away at the Camp Nou in the 2016/17 La Liga season, Barcelona have won 15 in that time, with the points being shared three times.
Blaugrana have a significantly higher win ratio in the 40 matches they've played against their opponents, with 28 victories to their name (70%), Los Babazorros have only won six games (15%) with the other six ending in a draw
You guessed it, Lionel Messi is the top scorer in the fixture with 11 goals and don't be surprised to see the Argentine bag some goals at the weekend, given his impressive goalscoring return so far this season.
Ronaldo Koeman's side are also dominant in the goalscoring category, with 107 goals - 72 more than Alaves' return of just 35, the Catalonians have scored 75% of all the goals in the history of the fixture.
The teams have never drawn at the Camp Nou - of the 13 games played at the stadium, Barcelona have won 11 and the visitors have only got the better of them twice,
Points are very rarely shared between the two in this encounter and more often than not are won by those in the stripes of red and blue, let's look at some of these instances in more detail.
Four of the Best
Alaves 0-5 Barcelona
La Liga
July 19, 2020
Two goals and an assist from Lionel Messi helped Barcelona to a 5-0 victory at the Mendizorrotza, in the final game of the 2019/20 La Liga season.
Teenage wonderkid, Ansu Fati put Blaugrana ahead before usual suspects Messi and Suarez pitched in to make it 3-0 at half time.
A rare finish from full back Nelson Semedo preceded another goal from the iconic number-ten who converted on the half-volley to score the fifth and final goal of the game.
Yet another brace for the Argentine took his La Liga goal tally to 25, securing his fourth La Liga Golden Boot in a row, and seventh overall, in the process.
Alaves 0-6 Barcelona
La Liga
February 11, 2017
Blaugrana thrashed Alaves on their home turf in a dominant performance that saw them score six with 70% possession and a 100% goal to shot on target ratio.
Neymar and Luis Suarez were on target in the first half, as the home side never really threatened Barca, but it was the next 45 minutes where Los Babazorros were truly punished, as they conceded four goals in the space of nine minutes.
In the period of time between the 59th and 67th minutes, the rampant Catalonian outfit turned two into six in a flash of brilliance, a second from Suarez, a customary goal from Messi, an Alaves own goal and a strike from Ivan Rakitic completed the rout.
The win took Barcelona within a point of Real Madrid, as they continued their season-long title challenge.
Barcelona 3-0 Alaves
La Liga
August 18, 2018
In the first game of a new season, the reigning champions and Lionel Messi picked up exactly where they left off - with the Argentine scoring either side of a classic Philippe Coutinho screamer.
Barcelona's first was coincidentally their 6000th in the club's history, a perfectly precise free kick from Messi was drilled under the wall, outsmarting the keeper.
Coutinho added his first and Barcelona's second of the season with a finessed effort that struck the bar and bounced in during the final ten minutes, before the number-ten got his second in stoppage time.
The victory on the opening day was the first of a successful title defence that season, which saw Barcelona retain their 26th league title.
Barcelona 4-1 Alaves
La Liga
December 21, 2019
A marvellous individual display from Luis Suarez produced a goal and three assists as Barcelona extended their unbeaten run and lead at the top of La Liga.
The unique Uruguayan provided for Antoine Griezmann and Arturo Vidal before linking up with prolific strike partner Lionel Messi who drilled home a third from 25-yards.
In the 75th minute, a selfless Suarez was rewarded with an opportunity of a deserved goal for himself, converting a spotkick as Barca continued their impressive run of form.
A 24th win at the Camp Nou alongside four draws meant Blaugrana had gone unbeaten at home in a calendar year for the first time since 2011.
Tip of the Fixture
PaddyPower are offering odds of 15/2 for Barcelona to win 3-0 and 12/1 odds for them to win 4-0.
(Odds correct at time of writing, subject to change).
By Owen Thompson
