This Sunday, at 2:00 PM, the match between culés and babazorros will take place, corresponding to matchday 22 of the EA Sports League. The match will be held at Lluís Companys, a stadium that has been in the news this week because it seems that Barça will finally be able to use it for the entire season. It can be watched on Movistar + LaLiga and the minute-by-minute coverage through our social media @carpetasblaugranas
The person in charge of officiating this duel will be Jose Luis Munuera Montero, joined in the VAR by Juan Luis Pulido Santana. The Andalusian referee has officiated for the blaugranas on 24 occasions, with 15 victories for the locals, 4 draws, and 5 defeats. The last time he was appointed for a Barça match was on matchday 12, the Catalan classic that ended with a 3-1 victory.
How Barça is coming
The culés' last league commitment was spectacular, they dominated from start to finish against a Valencia that couldn't do anything. In fact, it's the biggest win since Flick arrived in Barcelona, in which the less regular players like Fermín or Ferran Torres also participated. In the Champions League, they secured that top 2 spot, drawing against an Atalanta that made things very difficult and knew how to respond to the local goals.
The German coach commented in a press conference that the distance from Madrid is not easy, but they have to win to put pressure on the whites. Regarding the latest absences, he clarified that Íñigo is available again and that Dani Olmo will need a bit more time. However, the most important headline he left is that, for him, Szczęsny is the No. 1 and, therefore, the starting goalkeeper.
How Alavés is coming
The team of 'Chacho' Coudet is going through a difficult time, occupying the 17th position in the standings, just one point above the relegation zone. The positive side is that in recent matches, they are showing a better image, managing to win against Betis on their field or drawing with Athletic. Additionally, they have scored in the first 10 minutes in 3 consecutive matches, partly thanks to Kike García's scoring prowess.
If we look at the previous encounters between both teams, the babazorros don't fare very well, as they haven't won any of the last 5. They have only managed to scrape a draw in the 21/22 season, in one of the few matches Agüero played for Barça. In fact, the data shows that in those five matches, they have only scored 3 goals and conceded 10.
Match keys
The schedule: playing at two in the afternoon is not something that happens often to the Catalans, they usually close the matchday at 9:00 PM. However, for this matchday, they have to deal with this, with all that it entails, such as changes in routines for eating and resting. The blaugranas usually struggle to adapt to this schedule, especially in the early minutes of the game.
Block defense: the blaugranas are finding it difficult to break through tough defenses that close in and leave little space. While it's true that Alavés has conceded many goals (33), the culés will need to attack well in space and enter through the flanks. What Flick's team won't want is for the match to have the 'tempo' that the visitors want, meaning that few things happen.
Protecting the goal: today, after much doubt, the German coach has named Szczęsny as the starting goalkeeper, clearing doubts about Iñaki Peña. Once this is clarified, two things need to happen: the Polish player's competitive level must rise, and they must manage to keep a clean sheet. To achieve this, they need to improve defensive consistency and concede fewer chances, as it seems that with very little, they are put in great danger.
Set pieces: corners or free kicks are actions that can tip the balance of a match or level it between teams like Barça and Alavés. Additionally, the Basque team has great level finishers, like Kike García or Sedlar. Similarly, the locals have scored several goals with such actions, the latest against Benfica after a set play.
