Barcelona currently sits in third place in the league, trailing second-place Atletico Madrid by three points. Atletico will face Real Madrid in an upcoming derby, giving Barcelona an opportunity to close the gap in the standings.
Robert Lewandowski scored the only goal of the match, connecting with a cross from Lamine Yamal to secure the hard-fought victory over Alaves.
Reflecting on the win, Lewandowski emphasized the importance of focusing on winning games first before considering the points held by other competitive teams.
Barcelona struggled to create scoring opportunities in the first half as Alaves defended resolutely, but a tactical change at halftime injected more urgency into Barcelona’s play.
Lewandowski eventually found the net with a close-range finish after Yamal’s delivery, marking his 18th goal of the season and maintaining his lead as the league’s top scorer.
The Polish forward highlighted the significance of grinding out wins in challenging matches where opponents defend effectively, stressing the importance of patience in breaking down stubborn defenses.
Despite attempts from Barcelona to extend their lead, the match ended with a single goal separating the two teams, as Alaves failed to threaten Barcelona’s goal significantly.
In other matches, Athletic Bilbao will take on Real Betis later on Sunday.
AFP