Ace Football previews the LaLiga match between Real Madrid and Deportivo Alaves, and offers the latest stats, tips, and team news.
Real Madrid welcome Deportivo Alaves to the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium on Saturday night in need of a return to winning ways.
The hosts have lost ground in the LaLiga title race after dropping points in their last two fixtures. It’s left them fourth in the standings on 17 points from nine games. Alaves, meanwhile, sit two points above the relegation zone in 15th-place.
The visitors also have a less congested schedule than Real Madrid, which may open the door for a surprise result, and are on a good run of form. But considering their woeful record in the Spanish capital, that may not be enough.
Real Madrid Form & Stats
A 2-0 Champions League win over Inter Milan midweek at the San Siro snapped Real Madrid out of a two-match winless streak, having lost 4-1 to Valencia and drawn 1-1 with Villarreal in their previous outings.
The result in Italy not only put their European campaign back on track, it spurred fresh life into the squad. Now the aim is to get three points on board on Saturday to continue their title defense.
The threat Real Madrid will be most wary of is not leaders Real Sociedad, but Atletico Madrid. Their city rivals have overtaken them in the standings and have a game in hand following a 1-0 victory over Barcelona. Anything less than three points Alaves, therefore, is unacceptable.
But Zinedine Zidane’s side have struggled for any real consistency this season. That, on top of their dubious home form of late and the absences of Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos, suggests another upset cannot be ruled out entirely.
Key Team Stats
- Lost two of their last four home games in all competitions (W2).
- Won 12 of their last 13 league games against Alaves (L1).
- Won to nil in their last five home league games against Alaves.
Deportivo Alaves Form & Stats
Pablo Machin has overseen a relatively low-key start at the Mendizorrotza Stadium, winning just two of his 10 matches (D4 L4). There have been flashes of improvement, though, with the club on a four-match unbeaten run.
Three of those games ended in a draw, including a 1-1 stalemate against Barcelona, and the other in a 2-0 win over Real Valladolid. It’s earned them six valuable points to move clear of the relegation zone.
Putting the brakes on Real Madrid in the Spanish capital, however, is arguably Machin’s greatest challenge to date. The Alaves boss has lost Manu García and Burgui to positive COVID-19 tests. He didn’t give much away in pre-match conference either, only stating he expects Zidane to rotate and for the hosts to be dangerous down the flanks.
That said, Alaves have been impressive on the road recently and could took take inspiration from Cadiz’s 1-0 win in Madrid earlier this season. If they can get that first goal, then a similar feat may be possible.
Key Team Stats
- Unbeaten in their last four league games (W1 D3).
- Lost seven of their last 10 away league games (W2 D1).
- Scored five of their nine league goals away from home this season.
Team News
Real Madrid: Federico Valverde, Sergio Ramos, Luka Jovic, Karim Benzema, & Alvaro Odriozola (out).
Alaves: Manu Garcia, Burgui, & Pere Pons (out).
Predicted Line-up
(Note: The image will change to the official XI once they’re both announced)
Top Goalscorers in Recent Games
Head-To-Head Record
Below are some head-to-head stats on each team’s recent form in LaLiga.
Match Facts
Betting Tips
More Odds
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