Alaves player issues warning to Barcelona ahead of League game, says 'we've seen where they struggle'

Deportivo Alaves player Carles Alena has issued a warning to Barcelona ahead of their game in LaLiga on November 29. The Catalans are second in the league right now, and now the clash against Alaves is crucial for them to stay in the race.

Barcelona has faced criticism after their 3-0 loss against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League group phase this week. One of the team's biggest problems seems to be the high-line strategy. It worked well for them last season with the presence of Inigo Martinez, but Barcelona's defense has deteriorated since his departure last summer. They also faced problems because of a poor attack, with Ferran Torres missing big and easy chances.

Ahead of the clash against Alaves, their former midfielder Carles Alena told SPORT that they are prepared to expose the Catalans' weak areas. He said:

"It’s going to be a very difficult match. They will want to turn the situation around, calm down a bit, but we have also seen where Barça suffer, where they can be hurt and we are going to try to make things difficult."

He added:

"To hurt a team like that, above all you have to play a perfect game. We have to look for spaces, so that they don’t feel comfortable when they have the ball. You can also have the personality to play in their half, to try to have the ball, because if not it is a team that submits you a lot, that creates chances for you, with world-class players."

Barcelona have a great record against Alaves, having won 13 times and drawn twice in their last 15 games against them across all competitions. They also won their last five games against them in LaLiga.

Marc Cucurella opens up on his exit from Bracelona

In an interview on the Informe Plus platform, Chelsea player Marc Cucurella reflected on his exit from Barcelona. The left-back hails from Barcelona's academy, La Masia, and was a part of the first team between 2017 and 2020. However, he managed to secure just one appearance for the side. He said:

"Not being given the opportunity hurts a little. I felt bad about it, but it made me grow a lot. Everything I’ve achieved so far, perhaps, if the decision had been different, I wouldn’t have achieved everything I have now."

In Barcelona's 3-0 loss against Chelsea, Marc Cucurella was one of the best performers, especially against Lamine Yamal. He managed to stop him multiple times in the match, while the Blues' defense remained strong.