FC Barcelona vs Deportivo Alavés: Flick’s Side Face a Test of Patience After Two Setbacks

Barcelona’s position at the top of the table remains strong, but the atmosphere around this fixture is different from the one surrounding their earlier league matches. Consecutive defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have exposed problems that Hansi Flick will want addressed quickly. The league leaders have 27 points from ten matches, with Atlético Madrid two points behind and Real Madrid three adrift. A home game against Alavés therefore carries significance beyond the usual demand for three points.

Alavés should not be judged only by their recent results. They began the campaign with three wins and a draw from their first four league games, but their momentum has faded: just two points have arrived from the following six rounds. Quique Sánchez Flores’ team sit seventh on 12 points and will need a disciplined performance to avoid allowing Barcelona to dictate the rhythm. Their defensive organisation will be particularly important against a side that can stretch opponents across the pitch and create overloads in wide areas.

A Barcelona response begins with better control

Flick has made the message clear ahead of the game: Barcelona must return to winning ways, but they also need to correct the details that contributed to their recent defeats. In his pre-match press conference, he criticised the team’s cheap possession losses against Real Madrid and stressed that defending is a collective responsibility rather than a task reserved for the back line. He also praised the training response and described the mood in the squad as positive.

That emphasis on possession security could shape the opening stages. Barcelona are likely to push their full-backs forward and use their midfielders to establish control, but doing so requires protection against counter-attacks. Alavés will look for moments when the home side lose the ball with players committed ahead of it. If the visitors can find their forward players quickly, they may be able to attack the spaces behind Barcelona’s advanced defensive line.

Alavés need discipline, timing and a route forward

For the visitors, the challenge is to remain compact without becoming passive. Barcelona’s technical quality can make prolonged defending exhausting, especially if the hosts move the ball quickly from one flank to the other. Alavés will need their midfield to close central passing lanes, while the defensive line must stay connected and avoid leaving gaps between the centre-backs and full-backs. Their best opportunities may come from quick transitions, second balls and set-piece situations rather than extended spells of possession.

The recent head-to-head record offers Barcelona encouragement, although the previous meeting in Vitoria ended in a 1-0 Alavés victory. That result came after Barcelona had already secured the league title, so the circumstances were unusual. The Catalans had gone 16 consecutive matches unbeaten against Alavés before that defeat. The visitors will nevertheless take confidence from knowing they have recently found a way to trouble the champions.

The details likely to decide the contest

• Barcelona’s ball security: Flick specifically identified cheap turnovers as an issue against Real Madrid. Cleaner circulation will reduce the visitors’ chances to counter.
• The space behind the full-backs: Barcelona’s attacking width can pin Alavés back, but it can also leave channels for quick breaks.
• Alavés’ defensive concentration: The visitors need to protect the central area and avoid being pulled out of shape by Barcelona’s movement.
• Set pieces and second balls: These could offer Alavés valuable opportunities to relieve pressure and threaten the home defence.

Team availability: confirmed injury absences

The clubs’ published team news confirms the following players will miss the match through injury. Neither club’s match preview labels these absences as long-term injuries, so they are listed as ruled out rather than assigned an unsupported long-term category.

🟢 Expected Matchday Elevens & Key Personnel

The following are projected lineups, not confirmed starting XIs. Official team sheets are normally released close to kick-off; selections may change.

What the coaches are emphasising before kick-off

Flick’s public comments have centred on response, concentration and collective defending. He acknowledged that the team cannot afford to give the ball away cheaply and said Barcelona must show their best version against an Alavés side capable of defending well. He also indicated that academy defender Brian Fariñas could be an option at full-back, reflecting the shortage of available defenders.

Barcelona’s official preview also highlights the challenge posed by Alavés’ recent defensive approach and their early-season form. No directly attributable pre-match quotation from Quique Sánchez Flores about this specific fixture was available in the club material reviewed, so no comment is attributed to him here.

Match information

• Competition: La Liga, Matchday 11
• Date: Saturday, 31 October 2026
• Kick-off: 21:00 CET
• Venue: Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona
• Barcelona coach: Hansi Flick
• Alavés coach: Quique Sánchez Flores

Barcelona have the stronger league position and the home advantage, but their defensive absences and recent loss of momentum make this more than a routine fixture. Alavés will try to frustrate the hosts, keep the central spaces crowded and exploit any careless possession. The central question is whether Flick’s team can turn territorial control into a composed, convincing performance without leaving themselves exposed in transition.