Barcelona secured a 3-1 win against Alaves in the Spanish league, with Ilkay Gundogan playing a key role in the victory. Robert Lewandowski broke his scoreless streak by scoring the opener in the 22nd minute, assisted by Gundogan. Gundogan then added a goal of his own in the 49th minute, skillfully volleying in a lobbed pass from Pedri González. Alaves striker Samuel Omorodion quickly responded with a header goal in the 51st minute. Substitute Vitor Roque scored Barcelona's third goal in the 63rd minute before being sent off with a red card in the 72nd minute. Despite being down to 10 men, Barcelona held on to their lead and secured the win. Barcelona's 16-year-old Lamine Yamal stood out as the team's most creative and incisive attacking player. Barcelona's win puts them in third place in the Spanish league, seven points behind leader Real Madrid.
Ílkay Gündogan led FC Barcelona in a match against Athletic Madrid, playing as an emergency midfielder. Xavi Hernández had planned for Gündogan to play as an advanced midfielder, but a last-minute change forced him to play a deeper role. Despite the change, Gündogan performed exceptionally well, contributing to the team's functioning and even assisting in a goal. Gündogan adapted to the new position and excelled in both defensive and offensive aspects of the game. He had a high passing accuracy, won duels, made tackles, and provided key contributions. Gündogan's performance was consistent with his previous performances, and Xavi praised his versatility and ability to find open spaces. FC Barcelona won the match against Athletic Madrid 3-0, securing their position in the standings and continuing to fight for LaLiga. Gündogan's performance showcased his class and versatility as a player.
In other news, several LaLiga footballers have returned to their first Spanish clubs for a second time. Antoine Griezmann returned to Atletico de Madrid after a stint at FC Barcelona. Gerard Pique returned to FC Barcelona after a loan spell at Real Zaragoza. Dani Carvajal returned to Real Madrid after playing for Bayer Leverkusen. Diego Simeone returned to Atletico de Madrid as a coach. Gerard Moreno returned to Villarreal CF after playing for RCD Espanyol. Ivan Rakitic returned to Sevilla FC after playing for FC Barcelona. Fernando Torres returned to Atletico Madrid after playing for various foreign clubs. Iago Aspas returned to RC Celta after playing elsewhere. Joaquin Sanchez returned to Real Betis after playing for Valencia CF and Malaga CF. Jesus Navas returned to Sevilla FC after playing in England. Ruben Baraja returned to Valencia CF as a coach.
Meanwhile, the FC Barcelona community is mourning the loss of Joan Casals, known as the 'Grandfather of Barca,' who passed away at the age of 90 [ab2d6db3]. Casals was a lifelong supporter of FC Barcelona and was well-known for his courteous manner and amiable personality. He was given the nickname 'Grandfather of Barça' due to his striking resemblance to a character named l’Avi del Barça, created by cartoonist Valentí Castanys. Casals' legacy will endure and serve as a continued source of inspiration. Soccer fans all over the world are paying tribute to him. The loss of Casals has devastated Barcelona supporters who were close to him, and he is considered an icon for the Blaugrana fanbase. It is a sad day in the history of FC Barcelona, and Casals will be remembered for his love and dedication to the club.
In addition, the football world is mourning the loss of German football legend Andreas Brehme, who passed away at the age of 63 [07ca3f05]. Brehme, known for scoring the winning goal for Germany in the World Cup final in 1990, played 86 times for Germany and also won the Bundesliga with Kaiserslautern and Bayern Munich, as well as a Serie A title with Inter Milan. Bayern Munich, Brehme's former club, paid tribute to him, stating that he will forever be in their hearts as a World Cup winner and a special person. Kaiserslautern, another former club of Brehme, expressed their deep mourning and highlighted his achievements with the club, including becoming a German champion and German Cup winner. Inter Milan players will wear black armbands in their Champions League fixture against Atletico Madrid as a tribute to Brehme, who played for Inter from 1988 to 1992 and achieved significant success with the club. Real Madrid also expressed their condolences and affection to Brehme's family, teammates, clubs, and loved ones.