Before their away match against Alaves yesterday, Barca had already clinched the league title by defeating Real 2-0 in matchweek 35. Had they won all three final matchweeks, Barca could have replicated the historic 100-point achievement they set in the 2012-2013 season under coach Tito Vilanova, and matched Real Madrid's 2011-2012 record led by Jose Mourinho. Coach Flick had also emphasized that reaching the 100-point milestone was a significant goal, aiming to keep his players motivated for the remaining three matches.

However, the loss to Alaves on 13/5 left Barca at 91 points after 36 matchweeks. If they win both remaining matches—hosting Real Betis on 18/5 and visiting Valencia on 24/5—this season's La Liga champions would achieve a maximum of 97 points. Barca will also be unable to break the record of 32 wins in a single La Liga season, a feat they and Real previously accomplished in their 100-point seasons.

Lewandowski and his teammates were disappointed after Ibrahim Diabate scored in Barca's 0-1 loss to Alaves at Mendizorroza Stadium, Vitoria, Spain, in La Liga matchweek 36 on 13/5/2026. Photo: AFP

At Mendizorroza Stadium yesterday, Barca made 8 changes to their starting lineup compared to the victory against Real Madrid four days prior, giving opportunities to many young and reserve players.

These personnel changes led to a drop in the quality of play. Barca dominated possession, consistently holding over 70% and finishing with 77% for the match, but failed to create significant pressure against the host's resolute defense. Meanwhile, Alaves entered the match with a survival mindset, as their spot in the league was not yet secure.

The turning point came in the first minute of first-half injury time, when Ibrahim Diabate scored the only goal for Alaves from a set-piece corner kick. Barca pushed their formation higher in the second half but could not create a breakthrough. Throughout the entire match, the champions did not even register a single shot on target—a rare statistic for Flick's attacking side, which had scored 91 goals in La Liga this season.

After the match, Flick admitted disappointment with the result but defended his players. The German coach stated that Barca had shown a good attitude, and he praised the young players who were given a chance to play.

"We created some chances in the first half but lost focus on the corner kick that led to the goal", Flick said. He also emphasized that the team needed to quickly focus on their final home match of the season against Real Betis.

Conversely, the victory held immense significance for Alaves in their fight against relegation. The three points against the champions moved them up to 15th place with 40 points, ahead of the four subsequent teams—Elche, Mallorca, Levante, and Girona—who all have 39 points. Oviedo remained at the bottom of the table and was confirmed relegated with only 29 points after 36 matchweeks.

Nhat Tao