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Attendance: 52,356
Barcelona logo
La Liga | Gameweek 1
Aug 18, 2018 at 9.15pm UK
 
Alaves logo

3-0

Messi (64', 90'), Coutinho (83')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde: "Hopefully we will improve"

Valverde: 'Hopefully Barcelona will improve'
© Reuters
Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde concedes that his side were not at their best against Alaves due to the visitors' overly-defensive display.

Ernesto Valverde has insisted that there is room for improvement from Barcelona, despite seeing off Alaves 3-0 in their opening La Liga fixture.

The reigning champions were made to work hard by last season's 14th-placed side, only putting the game to bed with a couple of goals in the final seven minutes.

Barca boss Valverde feels that Alaves's defensive approach at Camp Nou did not help his side, but is hopeful that there will be more rounded team displays to come.

"We haven't been able to play our best game," he said post-match. "The fact that they were situated so deep made our first combinations slow down a little.

"They had very tight defensive lines, a very defensive approach, and it made things difficult for us, but we're in August and hopefully we'll improve."

Barca travel to Real Sociedad in six days' time for their next league outing.

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Lionel Messi celebrates with Jordi Alba after scoring Barcelona's opening goal against Alaves on August 18, 2018
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona13110240122833
2Real Madrid1283125111427
3Atletico MadridAtletico137511971226
4Villarreal127322319424
5Osasuna136341720-321
6Athletic Bilbao135531913620
7Real BetisBetis135531412220
8Real Sociedad135351110118
9Mallorca135351010018
10GironaGirona135351617-118
11Celta Vigo135262022-217
12Rayo Vallecano124441313016
13Sevilla134361218-615
14Leganes133551316-314
15AlavesAlaves134181422-813
16Las PalmasLas Palmas133371622-612
17Getafe13175811-310
18Espanyol123181122-1110
19Real ValladolidValladolid132381025-159
20Valencia11146817-97


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