3 Real Madrid vs 2 Deportivo Alavés
Real Madrid returns in midweek clash against Deportivo Alavés
Following a confident weekend victory, Real Madrid aim to inch closer to league leaders Barcelona as they host Deportivo Alavés in a crucial midweek encounter at Santiago Bernabéu.
Real Madrid
A comfortable 3-1 win over Stuttgart in the opening fixture of the UEFA Champions League was followed by a comeback 4-1 win over Espanyol at the weekend. Dani Carvajal equalized in the 58th minute after an own goal from Thibaut Courtois had given Espanyol the lead, and a stoppage-time penalty from Kylian Mbappe completed the comeback for Madrid.
'It was a good game. We started really strongly and then reacted well to Espanyol's goal,’ Carlo Ancelotti said in a post-match press conference.
Madrid moved into second place after the win, with 14 points (4W, 2D, 0L). The Whites are four points behind the table-topping Barcelona, but a win against Alaves in this midweek clash will bring Real Madrid within a point of the Catalans, ahead of Barcelona’s midweek encounter against Getafe on Wednesday.
Madrid have kept a clean sheet in their last two home games against Alaves, winning by an aggregate scoreline of 8-0. Victory here would not only secure three successive home wins against Alaves but also extend their unbeaten run in La Liga to 39 games.
'We’ve gone 38 games unbeaten in La Liga, and that's a fantastic statistic that underlines how well this team has played,' Ancelotti said. The Madrid boss could rotate his side, with Endrick expected to feature in the starting lineup in a 4-3-3 formation, potentially alongside Vinícius Júnior and Mbappé in the attack.
Deportivo Alavés
After going two goals up at the hour mark, Alavés were able to hold their lead for a 2-1 win over a struggling Sevilla side despite a late goal from the opposition's Dodi Lukebakio in the 83rd minute. It was the third win for Alavés in their last five La Liga games, a win that leaves the visitors in 6th place with 10 points on the board.
Alavés are currently on a five-game losing run against Madrid, one they will be looking to put an end to on Tuesday when they visit the Santiago Bernabéu. However, the last time the visitors picked up a win over Real Madrid was in November 2020, when they bagged a 2-1 win over the Whites with goals from Lucas Perez and Joselu.
This midweek clash is expected to see Alavés in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Toni Martínez in attack. Alavés have no injury worries ahead of this midweek clash.
Team form
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Team Comparison
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