Barcelona vs Alaves Prediction 2 February 2025

🔊 Will Alaves be a "tough nut to crack" for Hansi Flick's team? The championship race in the Spanish Primera is in full swing. Recent point losses have pushed the "Blaugrana" down to 3rd place in the standings. This coming Sunday, "Barca" has no other option but to win. The main referee for the match, which will take place at the "Olimpico" stadium, will be Jose Munuera Montero. Given the significant class gap between the teams, the preliminary predictions from bookmakers should not be surprising: Barcelona's success - 1.19, Alaves' victory - 14.

📊 H2H

It's been quite some time since Alaves last defeated Barcelona - back in the 2016/17 season (2:1). Currently, the unbeaten streak of the "Blaugrana" in head-to-head matches with the "Glorious" has reached 15 games. In the first round of the current championship, "Barca" achieved a convincing victory at "Mendizorrotza" - 3:0. Notably, in that recent encounter, Robert Lewandowski managed to score a hat-trick.

🔵 BARCELONA

The year 2025 started well for Catalan Barcelona - 6 wins and 2 draws. Just a few days ago, the "Blaugrana" secured a direct entry into the Champions League Round of 16, which surely delights the club's fans. So far, Hansi Flick has been quite successful at the helm of "Barca," gradually implementing his tactical ideas. Many experts compare the style of the German specialist to that of Pep Guardiola. These judgments are not unfounded: Flick also prefers to start attacks from central defenders and employs a large number of positional adjustments during matches. Barcelona's strength does not lie in transitional phases or wing sharpness but primarily in a clear understanding of positional football principles. Forming a diamond in midfield and controlling open spaces simplify ball possession for the "Blaugrana." On average, in this season's matches, the Catalan team maintains possession for 68% of the time. Rafinha's fiery form continues to be noted - 9 points in goals and assists in the last 6 matches.

⚪ ALAVES

It seems Alaves is gradually finding its footing. In the last 7 rounds, the "Glorious" have suffered only 1 defeat - against Girona (0:1). Nevertheless, the acute lack of victories has affected the team's standings from Vitoria-Gasteiz - currently 17th place with a 1-point gap from the relegation zone. However, it's worth noting that Eduardo Coudet has introduced some changes to Alaves' play. Firstly, the "Bean Destroyers" do not aim to sit too deep in defense and now defend with a mid-block. Secondly, the Argentine specialist is not a big fan of using inverted wingers. In his classic 4-2-3-1 formation, Carlos Vicente and Tomas Konecny are "tied" to the wings, regularly maintaining width in attack development. During this transfer window, Stoichkov and Luka Romero have left the club. Alaves managed to earn 2.5 million euros for Stoichkov. Considering that for Coudet, the Spaniard was merely a reserve player, this deal can be deemed successful. However, significant personnel losses ahead of La Liga's 22nd round include Abdel Abkar's suspension and Antonio Sivera's injury.

⚽️ GOAL PREDICTION

For 19 consecutive head-to-head matches, the "Bean Destroyers" have conceded goals. However, note that in 5 of the last 7 instances, the "Glorious" also managed to score against Barcelona. Interestingly, in the last 6 games of this season, the "Blaugrana" have failed to keep their own goal untouched. Goalkeeping issues and numerous injuries contribute to regular defensive woes for the Catalan club. Our bet is - both teams to score (yes).

🚩 CORNER PREDICTION

Matches involving Barcelona this season are never dull. Just look at the average number of corners per game - about 11.2. Note also the ratio of corners earned by teams in head-to-head encounters: 7.1 against 3 in favor of "Barca." In 5 of the last 6 matches of the "Blaugrana," there were at least 10 corner kicks recorded. It seems rational to bet on total corners over 9.5.

📝 MATCH PREDICTION

Alaves had a couple more days of rest. Even such a minor figure can significantly affect the physical condition of footballers. In 8 of the last 9 matches this season, the "Glorious" have scored against their opponents. Recall that a similar event occurred in 5 of the last 7 encounters between the "Blaugrana" and the "Bean Destroyers." It is quite possible that the upcoming match will end with a score of 2:1. The key bet is both teams to score (yes).