Alaves vs Real Madrid - La Liga: TV channel, team news, lineups and prediction
- Real Madrid are second in La Liga after Girona's victory on Monday night
- Carlo Ancelotti's side haven't suffered a defeat since September
- Alaves have lost back-to-back games and sit in mid-table
Real Madrid haven't tasted defeat since September, yet Girona's out-of-nowhere brilliance means they may not end the calendar year at the top of La Liga.
Madrid round off 2023 away at mid-table Deportivo Alaves on Thursday night. The hosts have lost back-to-back games and were beaten comfortably by the league leaders on Monday.
Carlo Ancelotti's side remain two points adrift of Girona at the summit after thrashing Villarreal 4-1 on Sunday. The Italian has navigated an injury crisis with aplomb, although his woes on that front worsened at the weekend.
Nevertheless, with Barcelona stuttering and Girona their primary title challengers, the capital club look primed to claim major silverware come the end of the season.
Here's 90min's preview of Real Madrid's trip to Alaves.
What time does Alaves vs Real Madrid kick-off?
- Location: Vitoria, Spain
- Stadium: Estadio di Mendizorroza
- Date: Thursday 21 December
- Kick-off Time: 20:30 GMT / 15:30 ET / 12:30 PT
- Referee: Isidro Diaz de Mera Escuderos
- VAR: Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez
Alaves vs Real Madrid H2H Record (Last Five Games)
- Alaves: 1 win
- Real Madrid: 4 wins
- Draws: 0
- Last meeting: Real Madrid 3-0 Alaves (19 February 2022 - La Liga)
Current form (all competitions)
- Alaves: WDWLL
- Real Madrid: WWDWW
How to watch Alaves vs Real Madrid on TV and live stream
Country | TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | Viaplay Sports 1, LaLigaTV |
United States | ESPN+ |
Canada | TSN+ |
Alaves team news
The hosts have lost Aleksandar Sedlar for the rest of 2023/24 with a knee injury, while Giuliano Simeone is expected to miss Thursday's game with a sprained ankle.
Luis Garcia - no, not the scorer of the infamous 'Ghost Goal' - could shuffle his starting XI around from Monday's defeat at league leaders Girona. Rangers loanee Ianis Hagi could come back into the team.
Alaves predicted lineup vs Real Madrid
Alaves predicted lineup vs Real Madrid (3-4-3): Sivera; Tenaglia, Marin, Duarte; Gorosabel, Bianco, Guevara, Lopez; Hagi, Omorodion, Rioja.
Real Madrid team news
Real Madrid were dealt another devastating injury blow at the weekend as David Alaba suffered a cruciate ligament injury which will rule him out for the rest of the season.
Aurelien Tchouameni, however, is back after a lengthy absence and Ancelotti has said he could utilise the French midfielder at centre-back in Alaba's absence.
Ferland Mendy will also miss Thursday's game with a head injury, while Eder Militao, Thibaut Courtois, Dani Carvajal, Vinicius Jr, Arda Guler, and Eduardo Camavinga all remain out.
Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Alaves
Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Alaves (4-3-1-2): Lunin; Vazquez, Rudiger, Nacho, Garcia; Tchouameni, Valverde, Kroos; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Joselu.
Alaves vs Real Madrid score prediction
This is a tricky game to end the year for Madrid, with Alaves often proving stubborn opposition this season. The underlying metrics - they've underperformed their xG a whopping 6.18 and also boast the lowest open-play xGA in La Liga (per Opta) - suggest Thursday's hosts are better than their current 13th-place standing.
Garcia's side will cede territory and control while asking the visitors to break them down. Madrid had some issues penetrating deeper blocks earlier in the season, but their current verve in the final third, despite numerous absences, means it's hard to bet against them.
Madrid could come unstuck for long periods, but they'll likely sign off 2023 with a win.
Prediction: Alaves 0-2 Real Madrid
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