Kenley Ward
Dailysports's expert
On Wednesday, May 14, in La Liga Matchday 36, Alaves will host Valencia. Kick-off is at 19:00 Central European Time. I’m offering a bet on goals in this encounter.
Key facts and head-to-head history
- Valencia are unbeaten in their last 10 La Liga matches.
- Valencia have scored 10 goals in their previous 5 away games.
- Valencia’s unbeaten run on the road stands at 6 games.
- Alaves have won just 1 of their last 5 matches.
- In 7 consecutive Alaves games, fewer than 3 goals have been scored.
- In the reverse fixture in Matchday 18, these teams drew 2-2.
Match preview
Alaves are entering the most crucial stretch of their season. With just three games remaining, the "Beans" sit just above the relegation zone in 17th place. The gap from 18th is only a single point, making every match vital for Alaves. Throughout the season, Eduardo Coudet’s side has played with extreme pragmatism and has struggled significantly in attack.
In the previous round, Alaves nearly took points off Athletic Bilbao but conceded in the 71st minute and lost 0-1. Before that, they pulled off a surprising 0-0 draw with Atletico Madrid, defeated Real Sociedad (1-0), and shared the spoils 1-1 with Sevilla.
Valencia have been the season’s biggest anomaly. Just three months ago, “Los Che” were locked in a fierce relegation battle, but since Carlos Corberan took charge, the team has dramatically improved and now finds itself pushing for a European spot. Following a 10-match unbeaten run, Valencia sit 10th, just 2 points behind the top eight.
Last time out, Corberan’s men put crisis-stricken Getafe to the sword with a 3-0 thrashing, all three goals coming in the first half. Prior to that, they edged Las Palmas (3-2) and drew 1-1 with both Espanyol and Rayo Vallecano.
Probable line-ups
- Alaves: Sivera, Tenaglia, Garces, Mourino, Manuel Sanchez, Antonio Blanco, Guridi, Guevara, Carlos Vicente, Kike Garcia, Carles Alena
- Valencia: Mamardashvili, Foulquier, Tarrega, Mosquera, Gaya, Rioja, Pepelu, Hugo Guillamon, Diego Lopez, Andre Almeida, Hugo Duro
Alaves vs Valencia match prediction
A draw won’t be enough for Alaves. Eduardo Coudet’s men need a win, and that means abandoning their ultra-defensive approach. I’m backing both teams to score in this match.
