Real Madrid will look to bring an end to their four-match winless run across competitions when they host Deportivo Alaves on Tuesday.
Deportivo Alaves will look to stay out of the drop zone with a positive result against a struggling Real Madrid side, who have just been knocked out of the Champions League.
The home team are 2nd in La Liga with 70 points in their 31 outings. While they were in the title race a few weeks back, the team in white have fallen in some fashion. They have dropped points in four out of their last seven league outings (three defeats, one draw).
On the back of their inconsistent performances, they are now nine points behind leaders Barcelona. Having been knocked out of UCL by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, Real Madrid are set to go trophyless. While things haven’t gone their way, they are still expected to go all out to finish the season on a positive note.
Meanwhile, the visitors are 17th on the points table with 33 points in their 31 outings. They have been unbeaten in their last four league games (three draws, one win), and it has certainly helped them stay out of the drop zone. However, they are only a point clear of 18th-placed Elche and can’t afford to relax one bit.
Having played out an entertaining 3-3 draw against Real Sociedad in their last league outing, Alaves will hope they can get something out of this game against Alvaro Arbeloa’s team, that have been nowhere close to their best. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Real Madrid
The home team will be without the services of Raul Asencio (gastroenteritis), Thibaut Courtois (thigh) and Rodrygo (knee). Meanwhile, they do have a boost as Aurelien Tchouameni is back available after serving a suspension in the game against Bayern.
Los Blancos will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Andriy Lunin will continue in goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alvaro Carreras are expected to be the full-backs, while Eder Militao should partner Antonio Rudiger in the heart of the defence.
In the centre of the park, Tchouameni and Federico Valverde will take up the central role, while Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler will feature on the flanks. Meanwhile, Vinicius Junior should partner with Kylian Mbappe in the final third.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Lunin; Alexander-Arnold, Militao, Rudiger, Carreras; Guler, Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Mbappe, Vinicius Jr
Deportivo Alaves
Alaves have no fresh injuries to deal with, but they do remain without the services of Carlos Benavidez (muscle). Meanwhile, Abde Rebbach will be serving a suspension.
The visitors will line up in a 5-3-2 formation, where Antonio Sivera will feature in goal. Angel Perez and Youssef Enríquez (Yusi) will feature as the wing-backs for the visitors. In the heart of the defence, Jonny Otto and Victor Parada will start alongside Nahuel Tenaglia.
Antonio Blanco is all set to square up against his former club. He will take up the holding role, while Pablo Ibanez and Jon Guridi will start alongside him. The trio will look to ensure Madrid midfielders do not run the show.
In the final third, Toni Martinez will partner with Lucas Boye. The duo will be hoping to make the most out of the limited opportunities that come their way.
Probable Lineup (5-3-2): Sivera; Perez, Otto, Tenaglia, Parada, Yusi; Ibanez, Blanco, Guridi; Martinez, Boye
Key Stats
- Real Madrid have been winless in each of their last four games across competitions (3 defeats).
- Deportivo Alaves have been unbeaten in their last four league outings (3 draws, 1 win).
- The visitors have conceded three goals in each of their last three away games.
- Alaves last won against Real Madrid in November 2020 at the Bernabeu (2-1).
- Alvaro Arbeloa’s team will be eyeing a ninth straight win against Alaves on Tuesday.
Player to Watch
Vinicius Junior
Vinicius will be under the spotlight heading into this fixture following the criticism that came his way after the defeat to Bayern Munich. The Brazilian forward has been one of Real Madrid’s standout performers this season, registering 17 goals and 14 assists in 47 appearances, but he hasn’t quite hit his usual standards in recent outings.
As a result, this clash against Alaves presents the perfect opportunity for him to silence the noise and get back to his best. Real Madrid will be relying heavily on him to spark their attack and set the tone early in the game.
Prediction
Real Madrid 4-0 Deportivo Alaves
Real Madrid might be going through a rough patch, but fixtures like these offer them the ideal chance to reset. Playing at the Bernabeu against a relegation-threatened side, Los Blancos are expected to dominate proceedings and impose themselves from the very start. Given the quality at their disposal, they should create plenty of chances.
Deportivo Alaves have shown resilience in recent weeks, but taking on a wounded Real Madrid side away from home is a completely different challenge. While they might look to stay compact and frustrate the hosts, sustaining that over 90 minutes seems unlikely.
Expect Madrid to bounce back in emphatic fashion and return to winning ways with a convincing performance. The Hard Tackle predicts a 4-0 win for the home team.