The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the upcoming La Liga game between Deportivo Alaves and Real Madrid at the Mendizorroza Stadium.
Matchday 18 of the 2023/24 La Liga season will end on Thursday with the game between Alaves and Real Madrid at the Mendizorroza Stadium. With Girona facing a tricky game against Real Betis on the same day, Los Blancos will have the chance to head into the winter break atop the league table.
The Merengues are currently second in the standings, two points behind the high-flying Girona. On the other hand, Deportivo Alaves will head into the game 14th on the table, three points clear of the drop zone. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Where To Watch Deportivo Alaves vs Real Madrid
Deportivo Alaves vs Real Madrid will kick off at 8:30 pm GMT at the Mendizorroza Stadium on Thursday night. Viewers in the UK can catch the game on Viaplay Sports 1 and La Liga TV. Meanwhile, readers in the US can watch the match on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.
TSN+ will stream the game live in Canada, while Sports18 1 HD will telecast it in India. For those interested in viewing the match online, Jio Cinema is your go-to platform. Optus Sport will broadcast the fixture in Australia.
Form
Deportivo Alaves: LWDWLL
Alaves had started the season well and once breached the top half of the table in La Liga. But they have won just two of their last 13 league games, with the run of results dropping them to the 14th spot, just three clear of the relegation zone. The Basque outfit’s most recent La Liga outing ended in a 3-0 defeat to the table-topping Girona. Meanwhile, the only victory in this run came in the Copa del Rey second round.
Real Madrid: WWWDWW
Unlike the home side, Real Madrid’s recent run has been excellent. The Merengues have dropped points in only one of their last six games, although that result dropped them two points behind Girona. But the Merengues head into Thursday’s game on the back of a 4-1 win over Villarreal.
Head-To-Head Record
Deportivo Alaves and Real Madrid have faced each other 36 times thus far, with Los Blancos winning 29 times (D2 L5). The Merengues have won the last three meetings, with each game ending in a three-goal victory for them. The Basque club’s last home win over Real Madrid came in the 2018/19 season, beating the traditional La Liga heavyweights 1-0 at the Mendizorroza.
Key Stats
- Deportivo Alaves and Real Madrid’s last 17 meetings have yielded 15 wins for Los Blancos. The Blue and Whites have suffered more defeats against (28) and conceded more goals to (92) Real Madrid than any other team in their top-flight history.
- Real Madrid have won seven of their last eight matches away from home against Alaves in La Liga, with the only defeat during this period coming in October 2018 (1-0).
- Real Madrid have lost only one of their last 14 matches away from home against teams from the Basque region in La Liga (to Real Sociedad in May 2022).
- Alaves are unbeaten in their last six La Liga games on Thursday (W2 D2), with Real Madrid undefeated in the most recent 16 such outings (W14 D2).
- Alaves have failed to win their last three La Liga games (D1 L2), having won two of the previous three (L1). They have not found the back of the net in any game during this run.
Prediction and Betting Tips
With Deportivo Alaves on a horrible run since a decent start to the 2023/24 season, anything other than a win for the away side will be shocking. So, we are backing Real Madrid to win on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, the hosts have not even managed a rate of one goal per game thus far this season. On the other hand, the Merengues have by far the best defensive record in La Liga this term. So, backing Real Madrid to keep a clean sheet against Deportivo Alaves is a sensible call.
