Deportivo Alavés take on Real Betis in weekend clash.

2024-09-15

Deportivo Alavés look to bounce back with a home win against a resilient Real Betis, as they clash at Estadio Mendizorrotza under the watchful eye of referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer this Sunday evening.

Deportivo Alavés

Alavés didn't have the start they hoped for in the new La Liga season, as they were one of just four teams to suffer a loss on the opening weekend, falling 2-1 to Celta Vigo despite initially taking the lead. However, head coach Luis García isn’t likely to be overly concerned just yet.

Last season, they also began with an away loss before bouncing back with a home win against Sevilla, setting the stage for their first top-half finish in the top flight since the 2016/17 season. This weekend, Alavés will host Real Betis, a team they managed to avoid defeat against three times last season [1W, 2D, 0L].

Their only victory in those encounters came in the Copa del Rey with a 1-0 win in January. The return to the Mendizorrotza Stadium should boost the home side’s confidence, especially considering they lost just one of their final eight La Liga matches at this venue last season [4W, 3D, 1L].

Manager Luis García is expected to go with his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, with Jon Guridi playing behind Kike García in attack.

Real Betis

Meanwhile, Real Betis picked up a 2-0 victory in Slovakia during their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off against Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih. That positive result followed a 1-1 draw against Girona on La Liga’s opening matchday.

Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini will be eager to build momentum in the domestic league, particularly against an opponent he’s never lost to in a league game [5W, 3D, 0L]. Pellegrini will also look to continue Betis' impressive away form, as they ended the 2023–24 season with a four-match unbeaten run on the road [2W, 2D, 0L].

However, one of his main challenges remains boosting the team’s goal-scoring form, as Betis were the lowest scorers among the top eight teams last season. Such an improvement will be crucial to breaking into La Liga’s top four and securing UEFA Champions League qualification for the first time in two decades.

Betis will rely on their playmaker, Nabil Fekir, who has yet to score against Alavés in eight previous attempts. Cédric Bakambu is out of this clash with a muscle injury, while Isco will miss the fixture due to an ankle injury.

A 4-2-3-1 setup is expected, with Chimy Ávila, who scored in the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off, expected to start in attack for Manuel Pellegrini.