Real Madrid will look to return to winning ways when they hit the road to square up against relegation-threatened Deportivo Alaves.
Two heavy defeats have threatened to derail Real Madrid’s season, and they will be desperate to get back on track at the Mendizorrotza with a win over Deportivo Alaves, who are fighting to avoid the drop at all costs.
The home team are 17th on the table with 30 points in their 30 outings. They have secured a total of seven wins, and two of those have come in their last five outings. They are heading into this fixture on the back of an important 1-0 win over Girona.
Alaves will surely look to put in a strong performance against a Real Madrid side eager to make a statement and return to winning ways. Meanwhile, Los Blancos sit second in the table with 63 points from 30 games. Their 2-1 defeat to Valencia dealt a significant blow to their title hopes, but they were fortunate that league leaders Barcelona were held to a draw, keeping the gap at just four points heading into the final eight matches of the season.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men were then thrashed 3-0 in the Champions League quarter-finals first-leg at the hands of Arsenal. What lies ahead is a massive week or two for them, but for now, they need to ensure they get back to winning ways against Deportivo Alaves. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Deportivo Alaves
While Nahuel Tenaglia is back after serving a suspension last time out, Jon Guridi, Antonio Sivera, and Tomas Conechny all picked up a milestone yellow in their last outing. With no fresh injury concerns, Alaves are expected to field a similar XI to the one that started against Girona, with only two enforced changes.
Alaves will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Jesus Owono could start in goal with Sivera unavailable. The back four should be made up of Santiago Mourino, Abdel Abqar, Moussa Diarra and Manu Sanchez.
They will look to keep things tight at the back and will receive significant support from Joan Jordan and former Real Madrid sensation Antonio Blanco, who will form the double pivot in midfield. They will look to ensure that the away side’s midfielders do not dominate the proceedings.
Carlos Vicente and Carlos Martin will feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their attacks. Carles Alena will take up the number ten role for this fixture. Meanwhile, the in-form Kike Garcia will continue to lead the line for Alaves against Real Madrid this weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Owono; Mourino, Abqar, Diarra, Sanchez; Jordan, Blanco; Vicente, Alena, Martin; Kike Garcia
Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti could make quite a few changes to the starting eleven that started in their last outing. While Andriy Lunin, Ferland Mendy and Dani Ceballos should be back in the squad, they might not be risked from the start. Meanwhile, Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao remain on the sidelines.
David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger displayed some discomfort after the game against Arsenal. As a result, they might be rested alongside Federico Valverde, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.
Ancelotti could go ahead with the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Thibaut Courtois will be in goal. Lucas Vazquez and Fran Garcia should be the full-backs, while Raul Asencio could partner Aurelien Tchouameni in central defence.
In the centre of the park, Eduardo Camavinga could partner with Luka Modric. They will shield the backline and look to control the tempo of the game. Brahim Diaz and Rodrygo could feature on the flanks, with Arda Guler taking up the number ten role. Finally, Endrick could lead the line for Real Madrid against Deportivo Alaves on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Tchouameni, Fran Garcia; Camavinga, Modric; Brahim, Guler, Rodrygo; Endrick
Key Stats
- Real Madrid have been winless in their last three matches across competitions.
- Deportivo Alaves have lost each of their last six league games against Real Madrid.
- The home team have only lost one of their last five league games.
- Los Blancos head into this fixture on the back of consecutive defeats: a 2-1 loss to Valencia in La Liga, followed by a 3-0 setback against Arsenal in the Champions League.
- Alaves have only picked up 16 points in their 14 home league games. They have only scored 11 goals in those fixtures.
Player to Watch
Endrick
With star forwards likely to be rested, Endrick could get to start in this fixture and given the kind of performances he has had, he could certainly be the one to watch out for. He has turned out to be one of their most efficient attacking options.
Despite limited minutes, the teenage sensation has delivered seven goals and one assist in just 575 minutes across 30 appearances, averaging a goal every 82 minutes. While he might have been used in a rotational role, he does tend to make an impact every time he gets an opportunity.
Prediction
Deportivo Alaves 0-3 Real Madrid
Real Madrid may be heading into this one on the back of consecutive defeats, but this fixture presents a golden opportunity to steady the ship. With several key players likely to be rested, the onus will be on the likes of Arda Guler, Brahim Diaz and Endrick to deliver.
Given Alaves’s poor record against Los Blancos and their struggles in front of goal at home, the visitors should have enough quality and depth to take control of the game. The home team will try to make it difficult, but Real Madrid’s hunger to bounce back and stay in the title race could prove too much for the hosts.
If Carlo Ancelotti’s men push hard from the start, they should be able to break Deportivo Alaves down and secure a comfortable result. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-0 win for Ancelotti and his charges.
