Real Madrid will be looking to return to winning ways when they hit the road to square up against Deportivo Alaves at Mendizorrotza.
Following their defeat to Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, Xabi Alonso is under immense pressure, and this fixture against Deportivo Alaves seems to be a must-win for him to continue as the Real Madrid boss.
The home team are 11th on the points table with 18 points in their 15 outings. After a run of three straight defeats, Alaves have won their last two outings heading into this fixture. The Basque outfit secured an impressive 1-0 win over Real Sociedad in their last league outing.
Despite not have majority of the ball, they stayed compact at the back and made the most out of the chances they got. While Alaves will be confident about their chances, going up against Real Madrid is never.
From having a significant lead at the top of La Liga, Los Blancos have fallen flat on their faces in the last few weeks. They have not only lost the top spot, but they are also now four points behind the leaders, Barcelona.
The Merengues suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Celta Vigo in their last league outing, and are heading into this fixture on the back of a 2-1 defeat at the hands of City in the Champions League. They will be desperate to return to winning ways against Alaves. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Deportivo Alaves
The home team will be without the services of Nikola Maras because of a knee injury, while Facundo Garces is suspended for this outing. Meanwhile, Jon Guridi will undergo a late fitness test to determine his availability.
Alaves will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Antonio Sivera will feature in goal. In the heart of the defence, Nahuel Tenaglia will partner with Jon Pacheco. They will receive significant support from Jonny Otto and Victor Parada, who will feature as the full-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Ander Guevara will be the holding midfielder, while Calebe and Abde Rebbach will feature out wide on the flanks. Pablo Ibanez and Denis Suarez will take charge as the two central midfielders. Finally, Lucas Boye will lead the line for Alaves against Real Madrid on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Sivera; Otto, Tenaglia, Pacheco, Parada; Guevara; Calebe, Ibanez, Suarez, Rebbach; Boye
Real Madrid
Xabi Alonso will be without the services of quite a few first-team players. Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Eder Militao are all out injured. Meanwhile, Endrick, Fran Garcia and Alvaro Carreras are suspended after being sent off in their last league outing. Eduardo Camavinga, David Alaba, Dean Huijsen and Kylian Mbappe will be assessed ahead of kick-off.
Los Blancos will line up in a 4-3-1-2 formation, where Thibaut Courtois will continue in goal. Federico Valverde and Raul Asencio could be the full-backs for this fixture, with Antonio Rudiger starting alongside Dean Huijsen in central defence.
As for the midfield unit, Aurelien Tchouameni will take up the holding role with Arda Guler and Dani Ceballos in his support in the centre of the park. The trio will look to ensure they dictate the pace of the game and dominate the proceedings.
Jude Bellingham will continue in the number ten role behind Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, with Mbappe unlikely to be risked.
Probable Lineup (4-3-1-2): Courtois; Valverde, Rudiger, Huijsen, Asencio; Guler, Tchouameni, Ceballos; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius
Key Stats
- Real Madrid are heading into this fixture on the back of consecutive defeats.
- The team in white have only won two out of their last six games in all competitions.
- Alaves are heading into this fixture on the back of consecutive wins, after ending their three-match losing streak.
- Alaves have lost each of their last seven games against Real Madrid.
- Los Blancos have only lost five out of their last 44 matches against Alaves.
Player to Watch
Arda Guler
Guler was off to a flying start to the season. He was one of the standout performers for Xabi Alonso’s team alongside Kylian Mbappe. However, the recent weeks have not been that great for the young Turk, and he seems to have lost the starting spot in the team.
The 20-year-old has ten goal contributions in his 22 outings despite playing in a much deeper role this season. However, Guler has not contributed towards a goal in any of his last five league games, and he will be eager to make an impact against Alaves with quite a few of their stars unavailable.
Prediction
Deportivo Alaves 1-3 Real Madrid
Real Madrid will head into this away fixture under serious pressure, knowing they cannot afford another slip-up after back-to-back defeats in La Liga and the Champions League. Despite their injury and suspension woes, Los Blancos still possess enough quality in midfield and attack to control the tempo and create chances.
Alaves arrive in good spirits after two consecutive wins and will look to stay compact and frustrate the visitors, much like they did against Real Sociedad. However, their poor recent record against Real Madrid suggests this will be a tough ask.
If the visitors remain focused and clinical in the final third, they should have enough to overcome the home side. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Xabi Alonso and his charges.
