Alaves finish Barca’s bid for 100-point

Newly-crowned Spanish champions Barcelona suffered a 1-0 defeat by Alaves on Wednesday, ending their bid to match the all-time La Liga file factors complete of 100.

Hansi Flick’s facet wanted to win their remaining three matches to achieve that determine however fell on the first hurdle in Vitoria.

Ibrahim Diabate’s purpose in first half stoppage time earned Alaves a significant victory of their battle in opposition to relegation, taking Quique Sanchez Flores’s staff out of the drop zone and as much as fifteenth.

“It was not a straightforward recreation, they (battled) in a tough approach, but it surely’s OK as a result of they’re preventing to remain in La Liga and that is regular,” Flick informed reporters.

“We let within the purpose within the final minute of the primary half… however for me it is extra the positives (I will take), the younger gamers who performed right now and managing the minutes (for the others).”

Flick gave 21-year-old centre-back Alvaro Cortes his debut, amongst a number of modifications to the facet that gained the Clasico on Sunday to clinch back-to-back league titles.

The Catalans celebrated successful La Liga on Monday with an open-top bus parade and their efficiency mirrored that to some extent.
Barca had loads of the ball and winger Marcus Rashford supplied vitality, however Alaves dug deep to maintain the guests at arm’s size.
Simply earlier than the break Diabate fired previous Wojciech Szczesny, after Antonio Blanco headed a nook again in direction of purpose, with Barca defenders not reacting shortly.

Szczesny pushed away a Diabate strike early within the second half as Alaves tried to double their lead.
Barca struggled to create any clear possibilities and the hosts got here shut by Jon Guridi, who beat Szczesny however struck the put up with a drive throughout purpose.

Sevilla battle again 

Earlier, Sevilla produced a sensational comeback from two targets right down to beat Villarreal 3-2 and climb in direction of security.
The Andalusian facet have been struggling in direction of the underside in latest months however secured their third consecutive victory to rise as much as tenth provisionally, 4 factors away from the drop zone.

Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze fired hosts Villarreal, third, right into a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes.
Nonetheless Oso and Kike Salas pulled Sevilla stage earlier than the break and Akor Adams struck within the 72nd minute to seal Sevilla’s win, in every week the place their former defender Sergio Ramos is reported to be near finishing a takeover of the membership alongside an funding agency.
“It is an indescribable feeling, giving again to the followers all of the love they offer us,” mentioned Sevilla defender Salas.
Espanyol defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-0 at house to win their first match in 2026, ending an 18-game run with out a victory.
Pere Milla and Kike Garcia’s second-half targets helped the Catalan facet, 14th, transfer three factors away from the underside three.
“It has been one of many worst experiences of my skilled and private life,” mentioned Espanyol coach Manolo Gonzalez of his staff’s winless run.

The coach had tears in his eyes after Garcia struck late on to ensure his staff victory in the end.
“Now we’ve got to go to Pamplona and win (in opposition to Osasuna on Sunday),” defined Gonzalez.

“We won’t go there to play it secure. Now we have to take this momentum so far as attainable.”
Mallorca, seventeenth, have been left in bother after a 3-1 defeat at Getafe, seventh, which boosted the hosts’ hopes of qualifying for the Convention League.