Alaves 1-3 Barcelona: Gundogan stars as 10-man Barca hold on to win away at Alaves in LaLiga

Barcelona climbed to the third position in LaLiga following a remarkable performance by llkay Gundogan (33), who scored a goal and provided an assist, leading them to a well-deserved 3-1 triumph over Deportivo Alaves. This victory further strengthens Barcelona's unbeaten record on away matches this season, which now stands at 11 games (W6, D5).

Fresh off a morale-boosting win against Osasuna earlier in the week, Xavi's team made their way to Vitoria-Gasteiz with a two-point lead over Athletic Club in the race for the top four.

Facing an in-form Alaves side led by Luis Garcia, the match promised to be a tough test. The opening stages were closely contested, with neither team able to take control.

Barca struggled to create any significant chances early on, but as the first half progressed, they began to improve. Their efforts paid off in the 22nd minute when Robert Lewandowski received a clever pass from Gundogan and executed a sublime finish over Antonio Sivera.

Undeterred, the hosts pushed for a response before halftime. Jon Guridi's headed effort was denied by Inaki Pena, while Samu Omorodion narrowly missed a close-range strike.

Barca, grateful for these missed opportunities, came out strong in the second half. Xavi's men quickly extended their lead through Gundogan, who emphatically finished a superb delivery from Pedri.

However, the visitors' two-goal advantage was soon reduced as Omorodion headed home from inside the box, thanks to excellent work from Alex Sola.

The end-to-end nature of the game continued into the final half-hour, and Barca regained their two-goal lead when substitute Vitor Roque calmly slotted a low finish into the far corner, marking his second goal in as many games.

Unfortunately, Roque's fortunes quickly turned as he received two yellow cards within five minutes, leaving Barca with ten men for the closing stages of the match.

Alaves, despite having more players on the field, encountered difficulties in penetrating the determined defense of Barca. The visitors remained steadfast, solidifying their position in the top four.

On the other hand, the home team will be eager to recover and regain their momentum against Villarreal in the upcoming weekend, following a disappointing conclusion to their three consecutive victories in the league.