Barcelona climbed to the top of La Liga, at least temporarily, after securing a 3–1 home win over Alaves, driven by a brilliant brace from Dani Olmo.
The evening began with a shock when Pablo Ibanez struck in the opening minute, capitalising on a defensive lapse after Marc Casado failed to clear a corner and Victor Parada redirected the ball into his path.
The Catalans quickly regrouped, sparked by the creativity of Raphinha, who returned to the starting lineup after injury. The Brazilian winger delivered a precise low cross that Lamine Yamal smashed into the roof of the net, even as Dani Olmo attempted to connect with the ball.
Barcelona continued to build momentum. Olmo eventually put the hosts ahead, finishing inside the near post after another cut-back from Raphinha. Before the break, Joan Garcia made an impressive save to stop Calebe, while Lucas Boye came close to equalising at the other end.
Yamal nearly added a second goal when he rounded goalkeeper Antonio Sivera but could only guide his effort against the upright. Barcelona introduced Pedri Gonzalez in the second half, with the midfielder receiving a warm welcome from the crowd of roughly 45,000 fans filling the three operational stands of the partially rebuilt Camp Nou.
Despite several chances from Yamal and Olmo, Barcelona struggled to secure a comfortable margin. Alaves threatened through Boye, but Pau Cubarsi produced a crucial block to keep the hosts ahead.
In added time, the breakthrough finally came. Yamal once again provided the spark, setting up Olmo, who made no mistake as he slotted past Sivera to seal Barcelona’s win and strengthen their pursuit of the league’s top spot.
What you should know
Barcelona overcame a shaky start to claim a determined home victory, guided by Dani Olmo’s composed finishing and Lamine Yamal’s lively attacking play.
Raphinha’s return added much-needed creativity, while the team showed resilience following a difficult Champions League defeat.
The win reflects a squad adapting to injuries, rebuilding confidence, and grinding out results in a tightly contested title race.
