Lamine Yamal and Raphinha help Barcelona hammer Alaves and retain Liga spot

Barcelona bounce back strongly

Barcelona were still feeling the effects of a Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and a La Liga home loss to Real Madrid in El Clasico the previous weekend. Hansi Flick’s side responded with a 6-1 win over Alaves on Saturday.

The result moved Barcelona back to the top of La Liga. Raphinha and Lamine Yamal each scored twice, while Anthony Gordon came off the bench to chip in the team’s sixth goal.

Yamal adds to the scoring

Yamal scored again midway through the second half as Barcelona extended their lead. Mariano Diaz later scored for Alaves, who finished with one goal. A speaker praised the two Barcelona forwards, saying, “They make the difference, Lamine and Raphinha. With them, we will achieve big things.”

Atletico keep up pressure

Atletico recorded a seventh consecutive league win, maintaining their strong form and putting pressure on the reigning champions. Diego Simeone said the season was far from over and that his team would continue “game by game.” He added that the achievement belonged to his players and others who had been with him for many years; Simeone began coaching Atletico in 2011.