Alaves beat Barcelona 1-0, end 100-point dream in La Liga
Synopsis
Three days after clinching the La Liga title, Barcelona were brought back to earth with a 1-0 defeat at Mendizorrotza. Ibrahim Diabate's first-half volley was enough for Alaves to climb out of the relegation zone — and to end any talk of a historic 100-point campaign for the champions.
Key Takeaways
Deportivo Alaves defeated FC Barcelona 1-0 at Mendizorrotza on 14 May .
Ibrahim Diabate scored the only goal — his first at the ground — with a first-half volley past Wojciech Szczesny .
The defeat ended Barcelona's hopes of a 100-point La Liga season.
The win lifted Alaves out of the bottom three of the relegation zone.
Sevilla beat Villarreal 3-2 away, with Akor Adams scoring the 72nd-minute winner to move Sevilla into 10th place .
Deportivo Alaves stunned already-crowned La Liga champions FC Barcelona with a 1-0 victory at Mendizorrotza on 14 May, handing the title-holders a rare defeat just three days after their championship celebrations. The result dealt a fatal blow to Barcelona's hopes of finishing the season with 100 points.
The Decisive Moment
The only goal arrived in the final play of the first half, courtesy of Ibrahim Diabate. Following a corner, the Ivorian striker got the better of Marc Bernal and fired a low volley past Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny — his first goal at Mendizorrotza. It was a moment of clinical opportunism from a side fighting for its top-flight life.
Barcelona's Flat Display
The champions appeared to bear the physical and mental toll of their midweek title celebrations, producing a performance well below their usual standard. Szczesny was called into action repeatedly as Alaves grew into the game, and Barcelona offered little in response — few clear chances, minimal flowing football, and a surprisingly short period of stoppage time that denied them any late lifeline.
Diabate nearly doubled the lead early in the second half, but Szczesny reacted well to deny the striker's header. In the closing stages, Alaves defended deep around their own penalty area, disrupting Barcelona's passing rhythm and running down the clock with disciplined efficiency.
Survival Stakes for Alaves
The victory lifted Alaves out of the relegation zone's bottom three and kept their survival hopes firmly alive. Desperate for points before kick-off, the hosts gradually asserted themselves, turning the match into a test of resilience against a distracted champion. When the final whistle sounded, the Alaves camp erupted — the win was as vital as any they could have hoped for at this stage of the season.
Elsewhere in La Liga
Sevilla moved into 10th place with a 3-2 away win over Villarreal, in a match that swung dramatically. Villarreal — already assured of a spot in next season's UEFA Champions League — raced into a 2-0 lead through Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze, before Oso and Kike Salas levelled at 2-2 before the break. Akor Adams then continued his excellent recent form with a 72nd-minute winner to seal the points for Sevilla.
With the La Liga season entering its final stretch, the battle at the bottom remains intense — and Alaves's win over the champions could prove one of the most consequential results of the campaign.
Point of View
Against a side fighting relegation — is a recipe for a flat display. What is worth watching is whether this loss has any psychological ripple ahead of their remaining fixtures, and whether Alaves can convert this momentum into enough points to secure survival. The 100-point milestone was always a secondary ambition; the real story is at the bottom of the table, where every point separates clubs from the second division.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who scored the winning goal for Alaves against Barcelona?
Ibrahim Diabate scored the only goal of the match, firing a low volley past goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny in the final play of the first half. It was his first goal at Mendizorrotza .
Why did Barcelona lose to Alaves?
Barcelona, already confirmed as La Liga champions, appeared to suffer the effects of their title celebrations just three days earlier. The team produced a performance well below their usual level, creating few clear chances throughout the match.
What does the result mean for Alaves?
The 1-0 win lifted Alaves out of the bottom three of the La Liga standings, keeping their survival hopes alive with matches still to play. It was a critical result in their fight against relegation.
Did the defeat affect Barcelona's points record?
Yes. The loss ended Barcelona's chance of finishing the La Liga season with 100 points , a milestone the already-crowned champions had been on course to challenge before the defeat at Mendizorrotza.
What happened in the Sevilla vs Villarreal match?
Sevilla won 3-2 away at Villarreal , with Akor Adams scoring the winner in the 72nd minute . Villarreal had led 2-0 through Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze before Sevilla fought back to win, moving into 10th place .
