The fourth official indicates five minutes will be added to the end of the 90 for stoppages.
88'
Messi takes the free-kick short to Dest - who blasts a shot through the bodies but is unable to beat Pacheco, who parries it clear amazingly.
87'
Rubén Duarte gets yellow.
Duarte is shown a yellow card for a foul on Trincao just outside Pacheco’s area on the right.
86'
Trincao chips a pass over the top of the defence for Messi, who thunders a volley past Pacheco; knowing the whole time that it wouldn’t count anyway as the Barcelona captain was clearly offside.
84'
Barcelona have 10 men in their opponent’s half - including Pique leading the line - as they search for the lead. Time is running out for the Blaugrana, who would finish the day 12th with a draw.
82'
Pedri finds Roberto open on the right, but the full-back’s curling cross is met by a strong Pacheco punch. The play is then brought to a halt for offside in the build-up, which sends Koeman into a rage on the touchline. It was certainly a tight decision.
78'
M. Braithwaite enters the game and replaces Ansu Fati.
Koeman continues to roll the dice, replacing Fati with Braithwaite in an attempt to steal a late winner.
76'
Alaves have been allowing Barcelona to ease forward to the 18-yard box, where they are packing the space and making it very difficult for their opponents to play a pass through on-goal. It’s a bit risky from the hosts - but with a man less, it’s to be expected.
74'
Pedri supplies Fati with a fantastic ball, which bobbles up - allowing the winger to hit a volley, which is immediately blocked by a desperate Alaves defender. Barcelona are pouring on the pressure!
Minute
Description
72'
Manu García enters the game and replaces Luis Rioja.
Adrián Marín enters the game and replaces Tomás Pina.
Rioja’s goal has Alaves in position to earn a point, but his match is over as he’s replaced by Garcia.
A change in midfield sees Pina replaced by Marin with less than 20 minutes left in the game.
71'
Griezmann scores again but it’s immediately flagged for offside, as Trincao was unable to hold his run prior to De Jong’s incisive pass. It’s more beautiful play from Barcelona, but the referee’s decision appears to be the correct one.
69'
S. Dest enters the game and replaces Jordi Alba.
Koeman looks to freshen up his side with 20 minutes to go, as Alba is taken off and replaced by Dest.
67'
Pedri supplies Trincao with a fantastic ball into the penalty area, cutting through the Alaves defence on it’s way. The winger is half a step too late to react though, which allows Pacheco to grab it with both hands.
65'
MESSI IS STOPPED BY A SENSATIONAL PACHECO STOP! The Barcelona captain is played into the penalty area by Roberto, before taking a touch and shaping a left-footed shot to the far post - forcing the goalkeeper into a phenomenal diving save!
63'
A. Griezmann has scored a goal for Barcelona!
BARCELONA GET THEMSELVES LEVEL! Fati makes a challenge on the loose ball outside the penalty area and it breaks kindly for Griezmann, who latches onto it inside the 18 and chips it over Pacheco! 1-1!
62'
Jota Peleteiro gets a second yellow card and is sent off.
RED CARD FOR ALAVES! Jota has made his side’s fight for three points a lot more difficult, getting himself sent off for a second yellow card after raising his boot high and catching Pique high in the chest. It’s unfortunate for the midfielder, but it’s worthy of a booking. The hosts down to 10 men!
60'
It’s better suited for a right-footed player, but Messi takes it anyways. He tries for goal but gets it all wrong, skewing it high.
59'
Fati on the turn just outside the 18-yard box is taken down by Battaglia - giving Barcelona another free-kick to trouble the keeper from the left.
58'
Tomás Tavares enters the game and replaces Édgar Méndez.
The third change of the match for the hosts is a straight swap on the wing, as Tavares is in for Mendez.
57'
Joselu enters the game and replaces Deyverson.
Deyverson has been very good in his limited touches today, sparking a couple of dangerous counter-attacks. He’s taken off before the hour though, as Joselu comes on to replace him.
50'
Griezmann attempts to put it around Lejeune and chase down the ball, but the centre-back uses his body well to shield possession before using his goalkeeper as an outlet. Once again, the striker hasn’t really settled into the match or linked up well with his team-mates, though he could be the key to Barcelona’s success should he find his shooting boots.
48'
Koeman’s displeasure with his side’s first-half is on full display, as the coach makes three changes as well as a tactical alteration at the half. The removal of Lenglet at centre-back seemingly forces De Jong to drop back further to cover, while Pjanic operates as the forward-minded midfielder.
46'
Pedri enters the game and replaces C. Lenglet.
M. Pjanić enters the game and replaces Sergio Busquets.
Trincão enters the game and replaces O. Dembélé.
A substitution at half-time for Barcelona sees a change in midfield. Busquets is replaced by Pjanic.
Dembele is replaced by Trincao on the wing as Koeman looks to make wholesale changes.
The third switch is an interesting one, as winger Pedri is on for Lenglet - who was playing in defence.
Alaves get the match restarted from the kick-off!
45' +1
The fourth official indicates two minutes will be added for stoppages.
HALF-TIME: DEPORTIVO ALAVES 1-0 BARCELONA.
45'
Fati squares it for Messi inside the penalty area, but the left-footed effort is no trouble for Pacheco.
44'
C. Lenglet gets yellow.
Sergio Busquets gets yellow.
The counter continues, just until Lenglet as Rioja’s jersey is pulled by the centre-back. It’s a free-kick for the hosts, while the Barcelona player receives a yellow card.
Busquets is booked for a sliding challenge in midfield, in a failed attempt to prevent a counter-attack.
43'
Messi hits it low again, but the wall does its job and deflects it out for a corner.
42'
Busquets is caught by the raised leg of Lejeune and wins his side a free-kick right on Alaves’ 18-yard box. Can Messi make this one count?
41'
Martín Aguirregabiria enters the game and replaces Ximo Navarro.
Alaves are forced into a change four minutes from half-time, as Navarro is unable to run off an earlier injury. Aguirregabiria is his replacement.
40'
L. Messi gets yellow.
39'
Messi is booked for a cynical foul after failing to get the referee to award him a free-kick for various niggling fouls during Barca’s last attack.
37'
Messi drives towards the penalty area and attempts to take three defenders out of play with a delightful left-footed pass for Fati, but the defensive wall holds firm - booting it downfield and forcing Barcelona to come again from defence.
35'
Roberto curls a fantastic cross into the penalty area for De Jong, who puts his header well over the bar. There looked to be a push from the defender during the attempted shot - but the referee fails to acknowledge the Barcelona claims.
33'
The goalkeeper is left with a blank look on his face as Barcelona take the kick-off and immediately pour forward on the front-foot looking for an equaliser. It’s incredibly sloppy from the visitors, who must now dig themselves out of a hole while allowing their opponents to sit back further and defend the lead.
31'
Luis Rioja has scored a goal for Alaves!
ALAVES TAKE THE LEAD AFTER A MESS IN BARCELONA’S DEFENCE! Rioja bursts forward on a counter-attack, but loses possession just outside the 18-yard box to Pique. The defender passes it back to Neto and looks for the pass back, but the keeper’s first touch is poor - allowing Rioja to slip in, take possession back and tuck it away! 1-0 to the hosts!
28'
Mendez buys his side some time, winning a free-kick on the right-hand side after allowing Alba to nip at his heels.
26'
Another Alaves corner comes to nothing as once again the set-piece fails to beat Griezmann at the near post.
22'
Deyverson gets yellow.
Deyverson steps into Messi - sending the Barcelona captain to the floor just outside the 18-yard box. It's a yellow card for the Alaves striker while giving Barcelona a chance to trouble Pacheco.
19'
Griezmann wastes an opportunity from inside the penalty area after a delightful one-two with Fati; a move that was started by a brilliant Messi nutmeg.
15'
Jota Peleteiro gets yellow.
Jota tugs Griezmann’s jersey back inside the centre-circle and receives the first yellow card of the match.
9'
Alaves take their first corner of the match, but it’s taken flat and fails to beat Griezmann - who is stationed at the near post.
7'
Griezmann chips it up for Messi on the edge of the 18, who then volleys it over the top of the defence for Fati - though Pacheco scrambles off his line to catch it.
5'
Messi takes off and attempts a reverse pass to Griezmann, but Laguardia’s step wins the ball back cleanly.
3'
As kick-off takes place at the Mendizorroza, Alaves look to have gone with two strikers up-top, as Rioja joins Deyverson - leaving Mendez and Duarte on the flanks.
1'
Barcelona get the match underway from the kick-off!
Hello and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the LaLiga fixture between Deportivo Alaves and Barcelona!
Seven points in seven matches have Deportivo Alaves in 16th position; where they finished the season last year. It seems to be another year of consolidation for Alaves, who will count staving off relegation as a successful year. Winners in their last match against Valladolid, the hosts haven't managed two consecutive LaLiga wins since November 2019, or a win over Barcelona since 2016.
Winless in their last three domestic fixtures including a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid last weekend, Barcelona haven’t gone four LaLiga matches without a win since a stretch in April 2016 - a run which also featured a loss in El Clasico. A midweek Champions League win over Juventus should buoy the spirits of the Blaugrana, who currently find themselves 13th in the LaLiga table.
With 15 minutes to go before kick-off, let's look at how the two sides will line up - starting with the hosts!
BARCA SUBS: Sergino Dest, Carles Alena, Miralem Pjanic, Martin Braithwaite, Pedri, Francisco Trincao, Junior Firpo, Inaki Pena, Konrad De La Fuente, Arnau Tenas.
BARCA XI (4-2-3-1): Neto; Sergi Roberto, Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet, Jordi Alba; Sergio Busquets, Frenkie De Jong; Ousmane Dembele, Lionel Messi, Ansu Fati; Antoine Griezmann.
ALAVES SUBS: John Guidetti, Antonio Sivera, Burgui, Lucas Perez, Joselu, Adrian Marin, Martin Aguirregabiria, Rodrigo Ely, Manu Garcia, Borja Sainz, Tachi, Tomas Tavares.
ALAVES XI (5-4-1): Fernando Pacheco; Ruben Duarte, Florian Lejeune, Victor Laguardia, Ximo Navarro, Edgar Mendez; Luis Rioja, Tomas Pina, Rodrigo Battaglia, Jota; Deyverson.
Barcelona make three changes from their 3-1 loss in El Clasico, as Roberto takes over at right-back for Dest, while Pedri and Phillipe Coutinho are replaced by Dembele and Griezmann, pushing Fati to the other flank.
Ronald Koeman looked extremely disappointed on the touchline in the first half, and will no doubt be looking to introduce some new life into the match from the bench. Pedri looked exceptional on the wing in the Champions League in midweek and he will no doubt be one of the first options the manager chooses. Trincao and Firpo are also options to provide width and pace - which should trouble Alaves late on. Pablo Machin was forced into a first-half defensive substitution thanks to injury, which could present some problems late on as he looks to replace tired legs and get a shock result.
Deportivo Alaves are in action again next Sunday, when they travel to face Levante. Barcelona host Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League, before facing Real Betis on Saturday in LaLiga.
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