From the guard of honor to the hangover. From the tribute to the champion to a defeat in Vitoria. The one who needed it won, an Alavés with its back against the wall. And Barça lost, who had nothing at stake except statistical matters. Because the match at Mendizorroza meant the end of Barcelona’s streak after twelve consecutive wins and marked the first time they failed to score in La Liga since December 15, 2024. After 55 rounds of scoring, Flick’s team finished a match with zero goals. Losing also means that Barcelona can no longer reach one hundred points. But the lack of tension was logical and even predictable.
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Once the title was secured, it was time for massive rotations. After lifting the trophy and parading euphorically through the streets of Barcelona came Hansi Flick’s logical revolution. The German made up to eight changes in his lineup against an Alavés fighting for survival, pressured by the wins of Levante, Espanyol, and Sevilla. For the Babazorros, it was a crucial day, and they wore a kit paying tribute to their UEFA final against Liverpool 25 years ago. For Barcelona, it was just a formality match, although they wanted to continue their excellent momentum and keep aiming to finish the championship with one hundred points. Flick even changed the goalkeeper, placing Szczesny between the posts. If Joan Garcia does not play again in this league, he has the Zamora Trophy secured, and the coach bet on the Pole, who was not bad, within reason, and was not at fault for Alavés’ goal, which came just before halftime.
Flick made eight changes in the starting eleven, played Szczesny, and Álvaro Cortés debuted
Alongside Szczesny, the main novelty was the debut of left-footed center-back Álvaro Cortés, who debuted at 21 years old. The Aragonese defender partnered with Cubarsí, who was the veteran despite being two years younger. The things of precocity. The eleven was sprinkled with players who have recently been sidelined like Koundé and Balde or who lost their place due to injury, like Bernal. Even Casadó started, giving Pedri a rest. Only Cubarsí, Olmo, and Rashford repeated.
And despite that, Flick’s team did not start badly. Moving the ball well and shifting possession from one side to the other, Barça created a couple of good chances, wasted by a Roony who still looks very timid and a Rashford as noisy as imprecise. Both shots, in clear positions, went wide.
At the back, despite Alavés’ intensity, Barcelona barely had any trouble, and both Szczesny and Cortés conveyed calm. Koundé had more problems containing Rebbach, who almost opened the scoring with a shot from the edge of the box.
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Little by little, Barça got lost in possession without bite, with a very slow Lewandowski, and Alavés fed their faith, especially with runs down the wings. The corresponding crosses, many lumped in, resulted in corners and, on a second play after a corner kick, the 1-0 was materialized. In the last play of the first half, Ibrahim Diabate won space from Bernal by throwing himself to the ground and finding the net.
A goal on the edge of halftime caused the defeat of a relaxed Barça
The same forward from the Vitoria team had an excellent chance to score the second after a cross from Rebbach, who took advantage of Koundé’s indolence. Ibrahim’s header was deflected by Szczesny.
Meanwhile, Barça, meek, showed no signs of danger. There was no kind of breakthrough, Alavés just needed to stay tight and not make mistakes, and Flick decided to shake things up. Pedri, Ferran, and youth player Xavi Espart came on. Koundé moved to center-back, Rashford switched wings to play as a right winger, and Ferran lined up alongside Lewandowski.
But the scenario did not change much, if at all. Neither when Cancelo replaced Balde nor when Tommy Marqués did the same with Marc Bernal. Barça played at second gear, without exposing themselves, and the crowd celebrated, seeing victory close. This came without the Alavés goalkeeper having to play the match of his life by any means. Nothing that hasn’t happened with other champion teams once the objective is achieved.
