Barcelona looks to bounce back against Alavés after El Clásico defeat

Camp Nou opens its doors again with Barcelona still stinging from its last defeat. On Saturday, October 31, Alavés comes to town, a side that has no intention of just making up the numbers and arrives with a clear goal of breaking into the spots that lead to international competitions. Can the Barça squad shake off the blow of El Clásico?

That, in essence, is what matchday 11 of LaLiga 2026/2027 is all about: seeing how a Barcelona side that lost its unbeaten run in the competition, falling 2-1 to Real Madrid on its own turf, responds. The setback stings more because of the stage than the standings, since the Catalan club remains the sole leader of the table.

The match will be played at Spotify Camp Nou and kicks off at 5:00 p.m. for Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, and at 3:00 p.m. for Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. The live broadcast for South America will air on Disney Plus.

An Alavés side with no plans to settle

The Babazorros arrive after a 1-1 draw with Málaga at Mendizorroza, a result that leaves them unsatisfied but still within reach of their goals. Barcelona will need to keep a close eye on names like Carlos Protesoni Benavídez, Lucas Boyé and former Real Madrid forward Mariano Díaz, players who give Alavés options both in possession and on the counter.

On the other side, the list of players in good form runs long. Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Pedri, Rodri and Joao Cancelo are all enjoying standout stretches, and they largely explain why Barcelona remains on top of the table despite the recent stumble. The question is whether that individual quality is enough to quickly erase the sour taste left by the loss to their fiercest rival.

The most recent meeting

Recent history between the two sides has not favored Barcelona. Their last meeting came on May 13, 2026, at Estadio Mendizorroza, in matchday 36 of last season's LaLiga, and ended in a 1-0 win for Alavés, with a goal from Ibrahim Diabaté. It's a result Alavés will surely keep in mind as a confidence booster, even though this time they'll be the visitors at a Camp Nou that needs to get back to winning ways.

With the top spot on the line and the need to respond after El Clásico, Barcelona knows there's no room to relax against a team that, while not among the favorites, has already shown it can make things difficult when least expected.