A desperate Barcelona, but one which is very much alive
The players were angry that they couldn't come back against Alaves to win
Barcelona were the image of desperation against Alaves, but their attitude cannot be faulted. It's true, the team wasn't as on it as they were in Turin, but the problems in the first half were footballing ones, not knowing how to escape from an asphyxiating defence with five in the back line and more helping, and also worrying finishing in the second half.
Barca wanted to win and worked hard to try and do it. Hernandez Hernandez's refereeing didn't help either, with Ximo Navarro's shove on De Jong in the box going ignored. Messi, above all, was tired of having two or three men close him down every time he got the ball. Alaves are a noble team, although a different official might have made a difference to the outcome. Barca did not give up, with "vamos, vamos," in the air frequently.
Messi kicked off at the referee, so did Jordi Alba and Busquets, but it was also Fernando Pacheco, dressed as Superman, who stopped him. Messi was the first to hug Griezmann after the goal and get the team looking for the second. Two points from the last 12 is not good enough, but the team never threw in the towel and tried to turn the situation around. They looked devastated at full time.
The images of Koeman sitting helpless on the bench covering his face will damage him. That is inevitable, but this is Barca and the smallest details can do that. It's not exactly fair. The coach started the game sat down but after 10 minutes he was up on his feet trying to increase the team's fluidity.
He acted quickly in terms of the subs too. He made a triple change at the break and Barca improved. By the end there was nothing he could do but look on aghast at the chances gone to waste.
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