Alavés deny Barcelona a historic La Liga record

Recently crowned Spanish champions Barcelona suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat away to Deportivo Alavés on Matchday 36, bringing an end to their hopes of matching the all-time La Liga record for the highest number of points in a single season.

Hansi Flick’s side needed victories in their final three matches to reach the 100-point mark, but the defeat against Alavés ended that ambition early, with the Catalan players clearly appearing affected by the celebratory atmosphere that followed their title-clinching Clásico victory over Real Madrid.

Ivory Coast forward Ibrahim Diabaté scored the game’s only goal in first-half stoppage time, handing Alavés a hugely valuable victory in their battle for survival and lifting the club out of the relegation zone into 15th place with 40 points.

Key moments from the match

Barcelona entered the game with a heavily rotated lineup compared to their previous outing, as Flick chose to rest several key players while giving opportunities to younger squad members, most notably defender Álvaro Cortés, who made his first-team debut.

Despite dominating possession for long periods, Barça lacked attacking sharpness and struggled to create clear chances. English forward Marcus Rashford was among the most active players in attack, but even he was unable to break through the disciplined defensive structure of the home side.

Alavés relied on defensive organization and direct football, eventually capitalizing on a set-piece shortly before halftime. Following a corner kick, Antonio Blanco headed the ball back into the area for Diabaté, who finished confidently past Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny amid confusion inside Barcelona’s defense.

In the second half, the Catalans attempted to force their way back into the contest but repeatedly ran into a determined Alavés back line. The hosts almost doubled their lead when Jon Guridi raced through on goal, only to see his effort strike the post.

The victory provided a massive psychological boost for Alavés in their fight to avoid relegation, especially with the battle at the bottom of the table becoming increasingly intense with only two rounds remaining. Their three points moved them further away from danger heading into the final stretch of the campaign.

Elsewhere, Sevilla boosted their hopes of ending the season comfortably after producing a dramatic comeback from two goals down to defeat Villarreal 3-2 at the Estadio de la Cerámica.

Villarreal appeared to be cruising toward another victory after goals from Gerard Moreno and Georgian striker Georges Mikautadze, but the Andalusian side responded strongly through goals from Oso, Kike Salas and Nigerian forward Akor Adams to secure a third consecutive win.

The victory also comes amid growing reports linking former Spanish international defender Sergio Ramos with a potential investment project aimed at taking over the club alongside an investment group.

Espanyol also earned a hugely important 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao to revive their survival hopes after ending a long run of poor results.

Pere Milla and Kike García scored the goals in a win that carried strong emotional significance for coach Manolo González, who appeared visibly emotional after the final whistle and insisted the team must maintain this momentum until the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Getafe continued their impressive run by defeating Mallorca 3-1 to strengthen their position in the European qualification places, thanks to a brace from Argentine forward Martín Satriano and another goal from compatriot Zaid Romero.