Barcelona v Alavés
Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo star as Barcelona fight past Alaves
Dani Olmo scored twice as Barcelona came from a goal down to earn their fourth straight LaLiga victory with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Alaves.
Barca are now two points above Real Madrid at the top of the table but Xabi Alonso's side have a game in hand, away to Girona, on Sunday.
Barcelona were looking to bounce back from their disappointing Champions League defeat to Chelsea in midweek and things threatened to get worse when Alaves took a first-minute lead through Pablo Ibáñez.
Barcelona responded though and Lamine Yamal got them level after eight minutes before Olmo's strike midway through the first half turned the game on its head.
Barcelona, on their second appearance back at Camp Nou, had to wait until stoppage time before they made the three points safe when Olmo added his second.
The visitors stunned the home fans into silence when they hit the front. Barca failed to defend a corner and the ball bounced around the six-yard box and Ibañez was on hand to touch in the opener.
Barcelona soon got into their stride and were only behind for seven minutes. Raphinha provided a fantastic cross and Yamal was there to emphatically finish into the roof of the net.
Alaves had plans to take the lead again though, Abde Rebbach burst forward with a run down the left and aimed a pass towards the back post but Jonny Otto was denied by Joan Garcia's save.
Barca punished them a couple of minutes later to take the lead. Raphinha picked out Olmo inside the area and he was able to tap in his second goal of the season.
The hosts ought to have doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time, Yamal rounded Antonio Sivera and looked certain to score but he surprisingly failed to hit the target.
Barcelona continued to search for a third goal, and Sivera was once again the saviour to stop Robert Lewandowski's point-blank header on the hour mark.
Yamal came close once again as his shot from range sailed just over the crossbar.
The three points were made safe in stoppage time as Olmo linked up with Yamal before he slotted expertly into the bottom corner.
Game Information
- Referees:
- Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias
Spanish LALIGA Standings
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | +23 | 34 |
| Real Madrid | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | +16 | 32 |
| Villarreal | 13 | 9 | 2 | 2 | +15 | 29 |
| Atlético Madrid | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | +14 | 28 |
| Real Betis | 13 | 5 | 6 | 2 | +6 | 21 |
| Espanyol | 13 | 6 | 3 | 4 | +1 | 21 |
| Getafe | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | -2 | 20 |
| Athletic Club | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | -5 | 17 |
| Real Sociedad | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 16 |
| Sevilla | 13 | 5 | 1 | 7 | -2 | 16 |
| Celta Vigo | 13 | 3 | 7 | 3 | -2 | 16 |
| Elche | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | -2 | 16 |
| Rayo Vallecano | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | -2 | 16 |
| Alavés | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | -3 | 15 |
| Mallorca | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | -7 | 13 |
| Valencia | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | -9 | 13 |
| Osasuna | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | -6 | 12 |
| Girona | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | -13 | 11 |
| Levante | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | -8 | 9 |
| Real Oviedo | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | -13 | 9 |

