Alaves to Provide Unlikely Threat on Opening Day
A quick glance at the opening fixtures of the new La Liga season makes Valencia v Atletico Madrid the clear stand out fixture of round one and not Alaves’s trip to the Camp Nou.
A routine three points looks set to be on the cards for Ernesto Valverde’s men and it is hard to argue against it.
The betting markets will heavily back Barce and will see plenty of action when punters use the most common types of bets in sports betting such as match winner and goal markets on this game.
However, Alaves should not be dismissed so quickly and have the capabilities to cause the Blaugrana one or two issues come Saturday night.
Alaves’s Rise
The side known as El Glorioso (the glorious one) are entering their third straight season in Spain’s top flight after winning the Segunda division in 2016.
An impressive 9th place finish in their first campaign back was an impressive return and a steady if unspectacular 14th last term confirmed Alaves as a genuine mid-table La Liga outfit.
They also reached the final of the 2016/17 Copa Del Rey for the first time in their history, but they did of course lose to Barcelona 3-1 that day.
However, remarkably, throughout the whole of the 2017/18 league season, the side from Northern Spain drew just two league games making for much entertainment no matter who they played.
Can they really threaten Barcelona?
History suggests that is unlikely, however, Alaves are no fools and do pose a threat.
After all, during the 2016/17 season Alaves pitched up at the Camp Nou and duly turned Messi and co over 1-2 in one of the clubs most memorable days.
The sides have met six times in La Liga and although Barce boast a superior record of four wins to Alaves one (and a draw), the Spanish minnows can take some confidence from that record as it is better than most.
Alaves’s defence last season was also a strong point for the side and although conceding 50 goals in a campaign may seem like a lot, when you take into consideration it was exactly the same amount fifth placed Villareal conceded and 11 less than sixth place Real Betis let in, it suddenly looks pretty impressive stuff.
However, there is one big problem and that is goals.
Last season Munir El Haddadi was the club’s top scorer in the league but just broke into double figures with 10 goals from 33 appearances.
Hardly prolific.
However, there is one irony to this, El Haddadi actually plays for Barcelona and was only on loan at Alaves last season.
Former Manchester City man John Guidetti has been brought in on a permanent deal after scoring 3 times in 17 appearances in a second half of the season loan spell at the Babazorros.
The hope is that now he is a permanent fixture, the Swede can repeat the form that saw him score 20 times in 23 outings for Feyenoord.
On the face of it, facing Alaves at home on the opening game of the fixture hardly causes any fears, but if Barcelona are not careful, on their day, Alaves are capable of biting back.
You have been warned Barce.