Alaves vs Oviedo prediction, H2H and probable lineups - January 4, 2026
One of the matches of La Liga's 18th round will be held on Sunday at the Mendizorrotza Stadium in Vitoria-Gasteiz, where the local side Alaves will host Oviedo. I'm backing a bet on goalscoring in this encounter, taking into account the current form of both clubs.
Match preview
Alaves ended 2025 on a sour note, losing five of their last six La Liga fixtures. The defeat to Osasuna (0-3) was especially painful, marking their first heavy loss in the league in over a year. Eduardo Coudet's men have slipped to 14th place and are at real risk of dropping even lower—the gap to the relegation zone is razor-thin. On top of that, Alaves' attack has stalled: the team hasn't scored more than one goal in any of their last six matches.
At home, the Basques have been inconsistent. While they've managed to pick up points at Mendizorrotza, their defense leaks goals nearly every game. In their last eight matches overall, they've only managed to keep a clean sheet once. The absence of Victor Parada, their suspended defensive leader, could further weaken their back line.
Oviedo have changed managers and, in their first match under the new boss, drew 0-0 with Celta—a step forward after a run of five straight defeats. However, their winless streak in La Liga has now stretched to 10 games, with their attack a particular concern: they've failed to score in seven consecutive rounds, with only seven goals to their name all season. No team in the division has a worse conversion rate.
Defensively, Oviedo look somewhat more solid. Only three La Liga clubs have conceded more than Oviedo, but in their last seven games, they've allowed more than one goal on just two occasions. Their away record is worrying: not a single clean sheet on the road this season, and they've only scored twice away from home.
Probable lineups
- Alaves: Fernandez, Yusi, Tenaglia, Pacheco, Johnson, Blanco, Ibanez, Suarez, Rebbach, Martinez, Vicente
- Oviedo: Escandel, Aijado, Costas, Bayi, Alhassane, Colombatto, Sibo, Brekalo, Reina, Chaira, Vinas
Match facts and head-to-head
- In six of Alaves' last nine La Liga matches, both teams did not score.
- Oviedo haven't found the net in La Liga for seven consecutive rounds.
- In six of Oviedo's last seven league games, there were no more than two goals scored.
Prediction
Both sides are mired in prolonged slumps, especially in attack. Alaves are wasteful with their chances, while Oviedo simply can't find a way to goal. Given these numbers, the logical bet is that at least one team will fail to score.
