FC Barcelona Face Deportivo Alavés After Winning La Liga Title

May 13, 2026, 20:55

Introduction

The current La Liga champions, FC Barcelona, are set to play against Deportivo Alavés in an away match at the Estadio de Mendizorroza on Wednesday, May 13.

Main Body

This match takes place shortly after FC Barcelona won their 29th league title with a 2-0 win over Real Madrid, continuing a streak of 18 straight home victories. The club is now aiming to reach 100 league points, which is possible if they win their final three games. This goal remains a priority, even though manager Hansi Flick recently suffered the loss of his father. However, Barcelona's squad is missing some key players. Lamine Yamal is out for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury, and Raphinha is suspended after receiving too many yellow cards. On a positive note, Andreas Christensen has returned after a knee injury. The manager has decided to rotate the team, giving 21-year-old Álvaro Cortés his first start. Furthermore, Joan Garcia will remain the starting goalkeeper instead of Wojciech Szczesny. Meanwhile, Deportivo Alavés is currently 19th in the league and desperately needs points to avoid relegation. Their team is also struggling with absences, as Lucas Boyé is injured and Facundo Garcés is suspended. Manager Quique Sánchez Flores emphasized that his team must play perfectly to compete with the champions. Additionally, Alavés has shown inconsistent form, with only one win in their last five matches.

Conclusion

The match is a quest for a points record for Barcelona and a vital fight for survival for Deportivo Alavés.

Learning

The 'Connector' Jump: From Simple to Sophisticated

At the A2 level, you probably use and, but, and because for everything. To reach B2, you need to vary your 'signposting'—the words that tell the reader how ideas connect. This article provides a perfect roadmap for this upgrade.

⚡ The Upgrade Path

Instead of saying 'But', try these from the text:

However... $\rightarrow$ "However, Barcelona's squad is missing some key players."
Even though... $\rightarrow$ "...even though manager Hansi Flick recently suffered the loss of his father."

Instead of saying 'And' or 'Also', try these:

Furthermore... $\rightarrow$ "Furthermore, Joan Garcia will remain the starting goalkeeper."
Additionally... $\rightarrow$ "Additionally, Alavés has shown inconsistent form."

🛠️ Pro-Tip: The Logic of Placement

Notice how However and Furthermore usually start a sentence and are followed by a comma (,). This creates a natural pause, making your English sound more professional and less like a list of simple facts.

📈 B2 Vocabulary Shift: 'Survival' Phrases

Move away from basic words like bad or hard. Look at these high-impact expressions used in the text:

A2 (Basic)	B2 (Sophisticated)	Context in Article
Bad/Not good	Inconsistent form	"Alavés has shown inconsistent form"
Need to stay	Avoid relegation	"...desperately needs points to avoid relegation"
Important fight	Vital fight for survival	"...a vital fight for survival for Deportivo Alavés"

Vocabulary Learning

champions

the winners of a competition or league

Example:FC Barcelona, the champions of La Liga, were eager to defend their title.

streak

a series of consecutive events, usually successes or failures

Example:The team enjoyed a streak of 18 straight home victories.

victories

wins in competitions or battles

Example:The club celebrated its 18 victories in a row.

aiming

trying to achieve or reach a particular goal

Example:The club is aiming to reach 100 league points.

possible

capable of being done or achieved

Example:It is possible to reach 100 points if they win their final three games.

priority

something considered more important than other tasks

Example:Reaching 100 points is a priority for the team.

suffered

experienced pain, loss, or hardship

Example:Manager Hansi Flick recently suffered the loss of his father.

injury

damage to a body part that affects function or movement

Example:Lamine Yamal is out due to a hamstring injury.

suspended

temporarily prevented from playing or participating

Example:Raphinha is suspended after receiving too many yellow cards.

rotate

to change the order or position of people or things

Example:The manager decided to rotate the team.

goalkeeper

the player who guards the goal in sports like football

Example:Joan Garcia will remain the starting goalkeeper.

relegation

the process of moving a team to a lower division because of poor performance

Example:Alavés desperately needs points to avoid relegation.

absences

the state of not being present or available

Example:The team is struggling with absences.

inconsistent

not steady or uniform; varying in quality or performance

Example:Alavés has shown inconsistent form.

record

the best or most extreme achievement in a particular category

Example:The match is a quest for a points record for Barcelona.