No persons under the age of 18 are permitted to gamble. South African Responsible Gambling Foundation toll free counselling line 0800 006 008
Commentary
Minute
Description
90' +3
FULL-TIME: BARCELONA 3-0 ALAVES
90' +2
L. Messi has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by L. Suárez.
Suarez wins the ball in the final third and send a precise cross into the middle for Messi to control and score.
GOALLLLLLLLL!!! MESSI HAS HIS SECOND GOAL!!!! BARCELONA 3-0!!! The Argentine notches his second of the game as he collects Suarez's cross into the box. Messi controls the ball on his chest before fending off the challenge of Maripan. He has space and time to pick his spot, striking his effort into the bottom corner. A fine performance from Messi to start the term.
90' +1
A scary moment for Barcelona as Messi goes down in the final third, but he gets to his feet after a couple of seconds on the deck.
90'
SAVE! Messi cuts in from the right flank and he belts his efforts towards the bottom corner. Only a fine stop from Pacheco prevents the Argentine from notching his second strike of the game.
There will be two minutes of added time.
88'
Barcelona have been much better with their incisive passing in the final third in the second half, although they should have had a lot more goals this evening.
86'
Messi makes a charge at the Alaves backline before offloading to Arthur. The midfielder opts not to shoot and finds Suarez. The Uruguayan plays it back to his team-mate and goes for the one-two over the top, but he cannot connect with his acrobatic volley.
85'
A. Vidal enters the game and replaces Sergio Busquets.
Vidal comes on to the field to replace Busquets in the midfield.
83'
Philippe Coutinho has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by Arthur.
Arthur tees up Coutinho for his strike with a simple offload in the final third.
GOALLLLLLLLLL!!!!! COUTINHO NOTCHES BARCELONA'S SECOND!! 2-0!!! Coutinho gets off the mark for the campaign with a trademark finish. He receives the ball from Arthur on the left before cutting in from the flank. He feints the shot once to create room for the angle. The Brazilian smashes his effort beyond the reach of Pacheco to find the back of the net.
82'
SAVE! Messi opens up the Alaves defence with a pinpoint throughball for the run of Coutinho. He has to act quickly to fire at goal, but his strike is well saved by Pacheco from close range.
Alaves break on the counter through Burgui and Wakaso. The duo carry the ball upfield before Ibai Gomez takes over. He sends an ambitious cross to the back post, which goes out for a goal-kick much to the fury of his team-mates.
81'
Coutinho and Alba combine down the left flank, but the former is closed down before he can threaten, although the ball travels out for a corner.
Minute
Description
79'
Ibai Gomez floats a cross from a free-kick dangerously towards the back post. There are three white shirts attacking the delivery, but the ball just evades them and goes out for a goal-kick.
77'
Arthur enters the game and replaces O. Dembélé.
Arthur replaces Dembele in Barcelona's first change.
Busquets takes a risk at the back by playing the ball across the edge of his own box to Alba. Fortunately for the midfielder, his offload has enough pace to reach his team-mate ahead of Wakaso.
75'
Messi and Sergi Roberto attempt to combine down the right, but the offside flag stops Barca's progress.
73'
SAVE! Pacheco to the rescue once again for the visitors. Suarez finds space in the box in the left inside channel and goes for the strike at goal on his left foot. The Alaves keeper holds his ground and makes the solid stop.
71'
Burgui enters the game and replaces Rubén Sobrino.
Sobrino pulls his hamstring and goes down. Burgui is called on to replace the forward.
70'
Barcelona are in complete command now and are working the ball around the pitch with ease. There are a lot of tired legs out there for Alaves.
68'
Adrián Marín enters the game and replaces D. Torres.
Borja Bastón enters the game and replaces Jony.
Torries is withdrawn for Gomez for the visitors.
Jony makes way for Baston.
66'
OFF THE POST! Messi is denied by the post. Suarez breaks forward down the right inside channel before cutting the ball back for Messi. He beats the challenge of Maripan before curling an effort towards goal. It beats Pacheco, but strikes the post and bounces clear.
64'
L. Messi has scored a goal for Barcelona!
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!! MESSI OPENS THE SCORING!!!! 1-0 BARCELONA!!! Barcelona score their 6,000th goal in their LaLiga history. Messi goes low, firing the ball underneath the men leaping in the wall. Pacheco unsighted cannot get across before the ball finds the bottom corner. A super strike from the Argentine to open his account for the new campaign.
63'
Messi twists and turns on the edge of the box and goes down under Duarte's challenge. The Argentine has another opportunity to fire at goal.
61'
Suarez and Coutinho attempt to combine on the edge of the box, but Laguardia is there to stop the Brazilian in his tracks.
60'
Rakitic teases a long ball over the top of the Alaves backline, but Pacheco is out quickly to narrow the angle. It doesn't matter anyway as the Argentine is flagged offside. Frustration grows for Barca.
58'
Messi works himself into space 25 yards from goal and he goes for an ambitious strike. However, he can only plant his effort well over the bar.
56'
Alba collects on the left from Dembele, but the pass from the Frenchman lacks pace and allows Aguirregabiria to close down the full-back as he shoots.
54'
BLOCK! Messi opens up the Alaves defence down the left flank and offloads to Alba. He drills the ball across the face of goal, but Laguardia makes the block. Suarez collects the rebound and goes for the strike, but the white shirts take the pace off the ball, allowing Pacheco to dive on it.
52'
Jony almost breaks away from Pique at the back. His touch creates a race between him and Ter Stegen for the ball on the edge of the box. The Barcelona keeper holds his composure to calmly take the ball away from the winger.
50'
The home side pile men forward as Sergi Roberto and Messi combine down the right flank. However, the duo cannot find a way through to goal due to the stubborn resistance of Duarte.
48'
CHANCE! Barcelona open up Alaves down the left flank as Dembele plays in Alba. The full-back goes for the drive from close range, only to be denied by Pacheco at his near post.
46'
Philippe Coutinho enters the game and replaces Nélson Semedo.
Semedo is withdrawn for Coutinho, which could see Sergi Roberto drop back into the back four.
We're back underway at the Camp Nou.
45'
HALF-TIME: BARCELONA 0-0 ALAVES
44'
Dembele combines with Suarez before releasing Alba down the left inside channel. The full-back cuts it back for the Frenchman to strike, but he scuffs his effort wide of the post.
43'
Barcelona are upping the ante break, forcing the visitors further back towards their own goal.
41'
G. Maripán gets yellow.
Yellow card Guillermo Alfonso Maripán Loaysa
CLOSE! Suarez is played behind the Alaves defence and tries to hook the ball over Pacheco. Laguardia is back to clear the ball away from the net, although he has to head behind for a corner.
39'
SAVE! Messi releases the run of Dembele in the final third, with only Pacheco to beat. The Frenchman fires a tame effort straight at the Alaves keeper, who makes the stop before Maripan clears the danger.
38'
OFF THE BAR! Messi hits the woodwork from the free-kick. The Argentine curls his effort over the wall and towards the top corner, only to be denied by the bar. it bounces off and falls for Pique on the follow-up, who can only direct his header over the bar.
36'
Garcia catches Messi late on the edge of the box, and the referee awards a free-kick to the home side. Messi stands over the ball.
35'
Messi teases Wakaso on the flank, turning him one way then the other. He sends a cross into the box and Rakitic rises highest in the area, only to glance his header wide of the post.
34'
Barcelona work the ball with speed down the left as Messi feeds Alba. He fires the ball into the middle, but Maripan on the slide directs it behind for a corner.
32'
Messi sends a perfect ball over the top for Dembele in behind Aguirregabiria. The Frenchman has Suarez in the middle and he tries to play the ball across the face of goal. However, Pacheco dives out to gather in his six-yard box.
31'
WIDE! Suarez turns the ball around the corner to send Dembele into the left inside channel. He goes for the strike on his left foot, only to scuff his effort wide of the post.
29'
The intensity of the Alaves defence is making it difficult for Barcelona to break behind them. Valverde's men need to up the ante in the final third.
27'
Laguardia makes a vital interception at the back as Dembele almost threads the ball through to Messi, who would have been through on goal with only Pacheco to beat.
25'
The tempo of Barcelona's approach is not quick enough to break down the Alaves defence. It's been very disciplined thus far at the back from Abelardo's men.
23'
Semedo tries to weave his way through traffic down the right flank, but the visitors are there in numbers once again.
21'
The home side have not managed to find the key pass to unlock the Alaves defence as of yet. The white shirts are holding firm for now.
19'
Barcelona recycle possession from the resulting corner before Suarez takes control on the left flank. He tries to angle his strike towards the top corner, but sends his effort over the bar.
18'
Messi releases the run of Sergi Roberto down the right inside channel. The midfielder tries to force the ball across the face of goal, only to be denied Duarte.
17'
WIDE! Garcia pulls into space on the left flank and he finds the run of Sobrino with his cross. The striker stoops to head at goal, only to guide his effort wide of the post.
16'
It has been a fairly even contest in the early stages of the game. Alaves are not displaying any fear in their approach.
14'
Gomez has time to send a cross into the box from the right flank. Ter Stegen commits himself and is out of position, but Pique is there to clear behind ahead of Sobrino.
12'
Rakitic lifts a ball over the top of the Alaves defence, but the ball skips off the surface and away from Suarez.
10'
D. Torres gets yellow.
Torres goes into the book for his challenge on Busquets.
9'
Torres is a fraction late on Busquets as he completes an offload. The referee awards a free-kick to the home side.
8'
Barcelona are working the ball well in space in the Alaves half, but the visitors are clamping down on the edge of their own box.
6'
WIDE! Messi curls a cross to the back post on the left flank for Alba's run. The full-back meets the ball on the volley, but can only drill his strike into the side-netting.
5'
Jony has space on the break and he has support in the middle from Sobrino. The winger tries to pick out the run of his team-mate with a low cross, but Ter Stegen is alert to gather ahead of the Alaves forward.
3'
CHANCE! Messi breaks in behind the Alaves defence down the right inside channel. He meets the ball on the half-volley on his right foot, but he pulls his effort wide of the post under pressure from Maripan. Uncharacteristic miss from that position from the Argentine.
1'
We're underway at the Camp Nou.
Barcelona return for the defence of their crown from last season with several new additions Arthur, Clement Lenglet, Malcom and Arturo Vidal. Lionel Messi was not able to bring success to Argentina in the World Cup, but Ernesto Valverde will be delighted to have him back fit and firing ready for the challenges of a new campaign.
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the opening day LaLiga clash between Barcelona and Alaves.
Let's take a look at the two teams this evening.
Alaves comfortably avoided relegation last season, finishing in 14th place. They will have their sights set higher in the coming term as Abelardo enters his second season with the team. John Guidetti, Borja Baston, Jony and Patrick Twumasi are some of the new arrivals that have joined the club over the summer.
BARCELONA (4-3-3): Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Nelson Semedo, Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti, Jordi Alba; Sergi Roberto, Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic; Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Ousmane Dembele.
Barcelona subs: Philippe Coutinho, Arthur, Rafinha, Jasper Cillessen, Malcom, Clement Lenglet, Arturo Vidal.
ALAVES (4-1-4-1): Fernando Pacheco; Martin Aguirregabiria, Victor Laguardia, Guillermo Maripan, Ruben Duarte; Daniel Torres; Jony, Mubarak Wakaso, Manu Garcia, Ibai Gomez; Ruben Sobrino.
Alaves subs: Alvaro Sivera, Burgui, Ximo Navarro, Adrian Martin, Borja Baston, Patrick Twumasi, Antonio Perera.
Barcelona hand no debuts to their summer arrivals, while Sergi Roberto is trusted in the middle of the park to assume the role vacated by Andres Iniesta. Messi and Suarez continue to lead the line, with Dembele chosen to support the duo.
Jony makes his bow for Alaves this evening, while there are places on the bench for Baston, Navarro and Twumasi.
Barcelona receive a guard of honour from Alaves ahead of kick-off.
Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Until next time, goodbye.
Barcelona are off the mark in their opening match of their LaLiga campaign with a comfortable 3-0 win over Alaves. The home side were frustrated in the first half by Abelardo's men, who held their discipline at the back. However, once Lionel Messi opened the scoring with a clever free-kick, the result was a formality. Messi scored Barca's 6,000th LaLiga goal, nine-and-a-half years removed from scoring their 5,000th. Philippe Coutinho opened his account for the term before the Argentine notched his second of the game to secure the three points.
It's goalless at the break between Barcelona and Alaves at the Camp Nou. The home side have been dominant in the final third, but have failed to break the deadlock. Lionel Messi has come within inches of finding the net, only to be denied by the crossbar. Ousmane Dembele has also had a good opportunity, but he fired straight at Fernando Pacheco. Ernesto Valverde's men will need to be patient to get the breakthrough they deserve.
Alaves have been disciplined at the back and have been committed in their challenges. However, holes were beginning to appear towards the end of the half and it's hard to see them keeping Barca at bay for the entirety of the second period.
Commentary
More…