Barcelona paid the price for heavy rotation as a 1-0 defeat away at Deportivo Alaves ended their 11-game La Liga winning run. Hansi Flick made sweeping changes ahead of the run-in, and Alaves capitalised on a flat Barca performance with Ibrahim Diabate's crucial strike just before halftime.
THE GOAL
Diabate struck in the 45th minute after a corner-kick scramble left the Barcelona defence scrambling. The Alaves forward reacted quickest inside the six-yard box and poked the ball home to hand his side the lead. It was a goal that owed as much to Barca's lack of concentration as it did to Alaves' persistence.
TACTICAL NOTE
Barcelona lacked sharpness and cohesion throughout. The regular supply lines to Lewandowski were absent, and without the energy and pressing intensity of Flick's first XI, the side were disjointed in midfield. Alaves executed their low block with discipline and were compact and direct on the counter, creating enough danger to deserve the three points.
LEWANDOWSKI OUT OF SORTS
The Polish striker was an isolated and frustrated figure from first to last. Unable to hold up play or link effectively with those around him, he drifted in and out of the game and looked every inch the player being managed through the end of a long season. His reported 4.5 player rating reflected a difficult night.
LOOKING AHEAD
The result has no bearing on the title race. Barcelona are confirmed champions with two games remaining and will use the coming weeks to rotate, assess fringe options, and protect their key players ahead of next season. For Alaves, the win is potentially vital in their fight to avoid relegation.
