La Liga Real Madrid vs Alaves: Los Blancos can see off Euro Rivals

Real Madrid vs Alaves

Third plays fifth as La Liga: Real Madrid vs Alaves clash at the Bernabeu. Real Madrid welcomes Deportivo Alaves in a big chance for the hosts to cement a top-four place.

The visitors, under the impressive coaching of Abelardo, are riding high in fifth after a superb first half of the season. Finishing in a Europa League place would be an amazing achievement, but there is a long way to go.

The biggest tussles in SBOBET La Liga 2019 are the battle for supremacy in Madrid: Alaves’ hopes to ensure European football of any sort, and then the scrap for survival at the bottom end. But there will be some at the Bernabeu still wondering if they can chase down Barcelona at the top of the league.

Win this game and the dream is just about on.

Talking Points

Benzema is thriving under Solari

French striker Karim Benzema has lived his life in Madrid in the shadow of Galacticos like Cristiano Ronaldo, but now is his time. And he seems to have found another gear under Santiago Solari, who has steadied the ship after a rocky opening to the season.

Benzema scored a superb double as Real Madrid won 3-1 at Girona to complete a 7-3 aggregate win in the Copa del Rey quarter-final. And the France international has now hit five goals in his last three appearances, and nine in 21 league fixtures as the leading scorer for Los Blancos.

Alaves may prove mean opposition having already beaten Real in La Liga this term — Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema fights for the ball with Sevilla’s Jesus Navas

Solari has some nice selection problems with big players returning from injury, and any Real Madrid vs Alaves odds are going to reflect the attacking options now available to the coach. Both Gareth Bale and Marco Asensio came on as substitutes in the Copa match while the in-form Casemiro took a rest. Recently, Casemiro capped an impressive performance against Sevilla with a goal as Real rose up to third place, and he’s an integral part of the hosts’ creative muscle. Meanwhile, Vinicius has done well in the absence of Bale and Asensio.

Los Blancos have an uphill task to overturn a ten-point deficit in the league and may think they have a better chance of retaining the Champions League with a Round-of-16 tie against Ajax coming up, but a win of Sunday night will keep their slim title hopes alive.

Alaves’ big chance

Abelardo’s Alaves is punching above their weight again. Promotion to the top flight in 2016 was followed by a Copa del Rey final and impressive finishes in ninth and 14^th place. The coach wants to go one further this season and secure European football.

Fernando Pacheco in goal has kept a tight ship at the back, conceding just 24 goals in 21 league games, and he’s sure to be in for a tough test against Real Madrid’s attack. But the visitors have been struggling for goals, scoring just 22 in the league.

Striker Jonathan Calleri has four goals as has Baston Borja, but Abelardo will want to see more from former Manchester City trainee John Guidetti, who is yet to impress.

Alaves had a shocker on Monday, losing 0-1 to Rayo Vallecano which lifted the visitors out of the bottom three for the first time this season. And defeat against Real Madrid would make it three losses on the run.

Alaves must compete well in this game and, come what may, keep their nerve.

History

Three wins on the run have taken Real Madrid up to third in the table while Alaves are hanging on to fifth place after back-to-back defeats.

It’s no surprise that Los Blancos have won 13 of the 17 clashes between these two teams, with Alaves winning two and two have been drawn. Real haven’t lost at home to Alaves in the last six meetings at the Bernabeu, but the underdogs sprung a surprise last year, beating the Madrid giants 1-0 at the Estadio de Mendizorroza.

Los Blancos did win the previous nine, though!

Betting Tip

	Real Madrid vs Alaves	Real Madrid -1.75 @ 1.83
	February 04, 03:45 (GMT+8)

I’m looking at momentum to guide my tip for this game, and it is undoubtedly with the hosts. The draw at 5.80 and Alaves to win at 12.00 simply look like hopeful punts to me, but you never know!

There is a glimmer of hope for the visitors as Real centre-back Raphael Varane is out suspended, but Alaves has failed to score in the last two games.

2-0 is the most likely result at 6.60, but I have a feeling it may be more.

Catch up with the Real Madrid vs Alaves highlights at the end of the weekend and see if we’re right!