Full-time: Barcelona 2-1 Alavés
Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernández has been hugely critical of his team after their last two matches and he may well be again after this one, especially considering their first-half performance.
Alavés striker Samu Omorodion gave the Barça defence, and Jules Koundé in particular, all kinds of problems in the first half, scoring at the end of a smooth counter-attack after just 20 seconds and missing two clear-cut opportunities that ultimately proved crucial.
The Catalans were ponderous and unimaginative in the first half, barely threatening. They picked up the pace at the start of the second period, though, which quickly paid dividends as Robert Lewandowski headed in a superb leveller.
But the hosts failed to really kick on after that, although they did keep things considerably tighter at the back than in the opening period. Clear opportunities to score were few and far between but they managed to sneak over the line thanks to Lewandowski’s 77th minute penalty, which came after a clear foul on Ferran Torres.
A win and three points but another below-par performance from Barça.