Barcelona thrash Alaves 6-1 after two straight defeats

Barcelona took the initiative from the first minutes

Raphinha opened the scoring in the eighth minute at the end of a 15-pass move involving nine players. Fermin doubled the lead in the 23rd minute, while an Alaves effort against the crossbar briefly showed that the visitors could still threaten.

Fermin then won possession and assisted Raphinha for his second goal in the 41st minute. Lamine Yamal made it 4-0 at 45+1 with a low strike from the edge of the area.

VAR confirmed Yamal’s second goal

In the 64th minute, Yamal lifted the ball over Antonio Sivera after a pass from Gabriel Jesus. The assistant initially raised the flag, but VAR showed that the forward had timed his run correctly and the goal was awarded.

Anthony Gordon scored the sixth in the 81st minute after Rodri’s through ball. Mariano replied for Alaves in the 84th after a defensive mistake, but the late goal did not change the direction of the match.

Raphinha matched an elite scoring benchmark

Raphinha’s double took him to 15 league goals after only 11 rounds, matching a Barcelona mark previously reached by Cesar Rodriguez and Lionel Messi. Fermin finished with one goal and two assists, while Yamal added two goals of his own.

The result also became Hansi Flick’s 100th victory in 131 matches as Barcelona coach. His improvised defence included Frenkie de Jong alongside Pau Cubarsi and first-team debutant Brian Farinas at right-back.

Barcelona remain two points clear

The six-goal victory kept Barcelona top of La Liga with 30 points, two more than Atletico Madrid. It was the direct response the team needed after defeats by Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.

Alaves did hit the bar and scored late, but Barcelona controlled the decisive periods and converted their openings. The final score reflected a sharp attacking display rather than repeated possession without an end product.