Barcelona Alaves Preview: Flick Trials Makeshift Defence for Alaves Visit

This Barcelona Alaves preview centres on a defensive crisis and a bold response from Hansi Flick. Barcelona return to the Spotify Camp Nou on Saturday evening to face Deportivo Alaves, needing a win after two defeats in a row, and Flick trialled a makeshift defence in Friday training as he searched for a back line that can hold firm.

Barcelona remain top of LaLiga on 27 points from 10 matches, but the gap at the top has narrowed dramatically. Atletico Madrid sit two points behind the leaders, and Real Madrid sit three points behind. A third defeat in a row would put fresh pressure on the champions, while a win would restore momentum and protect the lead at the top of the table.

Alaves arrive in seventh place on 12 points, with a strong defensive record and a recent win over Barcelona in the last meeting between the clubs. The visitors have scored only 14 goals and conceded only 11 goals in 10 league matches, and the pattern of the match is clear. Barcelona must find a way through a compact defence while protecting a back line that has lost four defenders to injury or doubt.

Barcelona Alaves Preview: Why Defence Is the Story

Flick must navigate the absence of Andreas Christensen, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia and Xavi Espart. Kounde has failed to shake off a lingering issue with his left ankle, despite Flick harbouring hopes of having the French defender at his disposal. Eric Garcia and youngster Xavi Espart were also added to the treatment table after being forced off in recent outings.

Espart faces around seven weeks out with an ankle injury suffered in El Clasico, after filling in at right back. Dani Olmo is sidelined with an adductor problem, Roony Bardghji is out with a knee injury, and Eric Garcia has a thigh problem. Kounde and Christensen are both major doubts, and the list of absentees has forced Flick to look beyond the usual defensive options.

With options severely curtailed, Flick trialled an unorthodox back line in training. The trial defence comprised Farinas, Pau Cubarsi, Frenkie de Jong and Joao Cancelo, deployed in front of goalkeeper Joan Garcia. De Jong is a midfielder by trade, and the trial underlined the scale of the problem facing the Barcelona coach.

The trial could still change before kick off. Flick could revert to a more orthodox setup, and the final selection will depend on late fitness checks and the balance of the team. Gerard Martin was among the substitutes in the trial, and Alejandro Balde remained on the bench in that session, despite picking up minutes against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. Balde replaced Espart during the first half against Madrid, and a rare start for Balde remains possible if Flick changes the plan.

The Trial XI and the Attacking Balance

Across the rest of the trial XI, Rodri partnered Pedri in a double pivot. Flank duties fell to Lamine Yamal and Karim Adeyemi, Fermin Lopez operated in the hole as an attacking midfielder, and Raphinha spearheaded the attack. The shape kept attacking threat on the field while asking midfielders to cover defensive gaps.

Raphinha is the top scorer in the division, with 13 goals in nine league matches before the latest round of games. Yamal missed out on the top prize at the Ballon dOr ceremony on Monday, when Harry Kane took the award, and the young winger is likely to start on the right, with Raphinha through the middle. Anthony Gordon has only one league goal for Barcelona, but the England international has four assists in nine league appearances and should keep a place on the left.

Frenkie de Jong made a comeback from a knee injury as a substitute against Madrid, and the return of the Dutch midfielder gives Flick another experienced option. Pedri remains central to the build up, and the double pivot in the trial XI showed a clear intent to control the match from midfield and protect the experimental defence.

The risk in the trial XI is obvious. A back line built from a young defender, a converted midfielder and players returning from injury can be exposed by direct running and set pieces. The reward is also clear. If the structure holds, Barcelona can dominate possession, pin Alaves back, and let the attacking players decide the match in the final third.

Alaves Threat and Recent Form

Alaves will need no reminding of the last meeting with Barcelona. The visitors won 1-0 through a goal from Ibrahim Diabate on 13 May at Mendizorrotza, days after Barcelona had been crowned champions. Before that defeat, Barcelona had been unbeaten in 17 meetings with Alaves in all competitions, with 15 wins and two draws, including victories in each of the preceding six encounters.

The Babazorros enter the match in poor form, despite sitting seventh with 12 points. Alaves have lost four and drawn two of the last six league matches, equalising in the 89th minute to draw 1-1 at home to Malaga last time out. The run shows a team that is hard to beat but short of wins, and a point at Camp Nou would count as a strong result.

Former Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz has been the key attacking player for Alaves, with three goals and four assists in 10 league appearances. Lucas Boye has five league goals, and the visitors have scored in seven of the last 10 matches against Barcelona. Six of the 13 goals scored by Alaves in the league this season arrived after the 83rd minute, which makes late pressure a real threat.

Barcelona have scored 40 goals in 10 league matches, but the defensive record needs attention. Barcelona have one clean sheet in the last nine matches in all competitions and none in the last three, which gives low scoring Alaves encouragement. The home record against Alaves is strong, with eight home matches unbeaten since a 2-1 defeat in September 2016, including three wins in a row at home, most recently a 3-1 comeback win last November when Pablo Ibanez opened the scoring, Yamal equalised and Dani Olmo scored twice.

Player	Injury or status	Availability for Alaves match
Xavi Espart	Ankle injury in El Clasico	Out for around seven weeks
Dani Olmo	Adductor problem	Sidelined
Roony Bardghji	Knee injury	Sidelined
Eric Garcia	Thigh problem	Sidelined
Jules Kounde	Left ankle issue	Major doubt
Andreas Christensen	Thigh problem	Major doubt
Facundo Garces (Alaves)	Knee injury	Out
Mikel Rodriguez (Alaves)	Knee injury	Out

What Barcelona Must Do to Win

Barcelona won the first 11 matches of the season in all competitions, but results unravelled quickly. Paris Saint-Germain beat Barcelona 4-2 in Paris in the Champions League, then a double from Kylian Mbappe handed Real Madrid a 2-1 win in El Clasico at Camp Nou last Sunday, ending a nine game winning start in the league. The Clasico defeat also ended a run of 23 straight home league wins.

The response must start with control. Barcelona need a calm opening, protection for the makeshift defence, and early pressure that forces Alaves to defend deep. A fast goal would change the shape of the match, while a long spell without a goal would increase tension in the stadium and give Alaves belief.

Alaves are one of seven teams yet to win away in LaLiga this season, and only Getafe and Racing Santander, who have each lost all five away matches, have taken fewer points on the road. The visitors will still travel with confidence from the win in May and from a defensive record that matches Barcelona on goals conceded. The match will test whether Flick can solve a defensive crisis in one week, or whether Alaves can turn a makeshift back line into a second famous result.

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