FC Barcelona aims for a rebound against Deportivo Alavés following a midweek defeat, welcoming back Pedri but losing Fermín López to injury while Ronald Araujo is rested.
According to a report from Sempre Barca, FC Barcelona’s preparation for their La Liga match against Deportivo Alavés at the Spotify Camp Nou is dominated by concerns over team attitude, fitness cycles, and the status of key defender Ronald Araujo.
The primary focus is for Hansi Flick’s side to show improved Attitude and character after a humbling 0–3 Champions League loss to Chelsea, where the team “hardly competed” and seemingly “conceded defeat long before the full-time whistle.”
The article stresses the need for the team to “recover the aura that made them such a menace last season.”
Flick addressed the squad’s status directly, with the report noting: “Hansi Flick admitted after the game that the team was training well and that improvement was not far off.
He even promised the fans that the team will be better in the coming weeks, and Alavés is a good place for Barcelona to start.”
The perennial issue of player availability continues, described best as “One in, one out.” While Pedri is back and expected to play “a few minutes from the bench,” Fermín López has been diagnosed with a muscle injury and is “set to miss a couple of weeks.” This absence “will hurt Barcelona” as Fermín has been one of the team’s “most in-form players.”
Finally, defender Ronald Araujo will miss the fixture due to “stomach issues,” according to Flick. This provides a “much-needed break” for the South American, who had a “horrendous week” against the Blues, with the article speculating that his absence may be a mental reset following criticism of his actions.