Alavés vs Real Madrid Prediction & Betting Tips - LaLiga

Prediction published on 19/01/2021, 10:11  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 20/01/2021 at 19:28 in LaLiga Predictions

After a couple of surprise defeats in cup games, second placed Real Madrid return to La Liga action. They travel to Alaves who are 17th and it's a game neither side can afford to lose. Real Madrid could be seven points behind Atletico Madrid if the latter win at Eibar on Thursday evening. Even worse, the league leaders would still have a game in hand on Real Madrid and they still have to play them away in March. Real just can't afford any slip-ups for the rest of the season, with Atletico showing no sign of a collapse.  They are unbeaten in their last eight league games, though two of the last three have seen them draw. If they want to win the title, then they just cannot afford to draw with teams like Eibar and Osasuna. Real will remember their last league defeat, it was at home to Alaves on home soil at the end of November. Revenge will definitely be on their minds in this game. Away league form has seen them win only two of the last six played with three draws and a loss to Valencia.

Alaves may have beaten Real Madrid in November but they are in relegation trouble. They are just a place and a point above the relegation zone but have played two games more than Elche (who host Barcelona this weekend). That gap will narrow even further if Osasuna can win at Valencia on Thursday to draw level on points with them. Alaves have played five league and cup games this year but won only one of them. That was over Deportivo La Coruna in the Copah del Rey. Their cup run ended in disaster though with a 5-0 thrashing at Almeria. In La Liga, Alaves have earned just five points from eight games since winning at Real. Each of the last three have been lost with seven goals conceded. Home form in La Liga has seen Alaves win two out of ten but only scoring eight goals. Only one of the last seven have been won with the last two lost. Go for Real to get a valuable away win here.