Elche vs Deportivo Alaves prediction: match preview and lineups
The matchday 35 showdown in Spain’s La Liga between Elche and Deportivo Alaves is set for Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Manuel Martinez Valero stadium. Both teams currently find themselves in the lower reaches of the table, locked in a desperate battle to steer clear of the relegation zone as the season hurtles towards its dramatic conclusion.
Match preview
Elche, under the guidance of Eder Sarabia, sit 14th in the standings on 38 points. Their May campaign has been a mixed bag: after an impressive three-match winning streak (including a stunning 3-2 triumph over Atletico Madrid), the "Franjiverdes" stumbled last time out, falling 1-3 away to Celta. The home ground remains Elche’s trump card: at the Martinez Valero, they have suffered just two defeats all season, making them favorites whenever they face teams from the league’s bottom half.
Tactically, Elche thrive on aggressive, front-foot football, especially with the roar of their home crowd behind them. Their attacking firepower is spearheaded by Andre Silva and Álvaro Rodriguez, who have combined for 15 goals this campaign. The side seeks to dominate possession, but recent matches have exposed frailties on the counterattack—a vulnerability that could be exploited by Alaves’ pacey forwards. A victory this Saturday would virtually guarantee Elche’s survival in La Liga for next season.
Deportivo Alaves are on much shakier ground, occupying 18th place with 36 points and currently in the drop zone. Quique Sanchez Flores’s men are fighting for every point: last round, they played out a high-scoring but ultimately fruitless clash against Athletic Bilbao, losing 2-4. Despite their position, Alaves are a notoriously awkward opponent, capable of unsettling the league’s big guns (their recent 3-3 draw with Real Sociedad is a case in point). Their Achilles’ heel, however, is a disastrous defense that has shipped 53 goals—one of the worst records in the league.
Alaves have recently adopted a more open, attacking style. Leading the line is Toni Martinez, in red-hot form with 11 goals to his name and a knack for exploiting gaps in opposition defenses. For the visitors, this away fixture is do-or-die: defeat could deal a fatal blow to their survival hopes, so expect Alaves to throw caution to the wind and seek to capitalize on the home side’s defensive absences.
On the injury front, both teams are suffering significant defensive blows, which could lead to a goal-laden spectacle. Elche are without defender Iago Santiago and winger Adam Boyar. Alaves are hit even harder: defensive lynchpin Facundo Garcés and key midfielder Carles Aleñá are both suspended, while striker Lucas Boyé is also sidelined. The loss of Garcés, their main central defender, leaves an already shaky Alaves backline even more vulnerable to Elche’s rapid attackers.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Eight of Elche’s last ten matches have seen over two goals scored.
- Elche have conceded in each of their last three matches.
- Alaves have conceded in sixteen straight games.
- Both teams have scored in each of Alaves’s last eight matches.
- These teams have met just 10 times, with Elche holding a narrow edge: five wins to Alaves’s four, and one draw.
- The reverse fixture earlier this season ended in a 3-1 win for Alaves.
Probable lineups
- Elche: Dituro - Donald, Affengruber, Bigar - Morente, Aguado, Villar, Sebas, Pedrosa - Rodriguez, Silva
- Alaves: Sivera - Otto, Tenglia, Parada - Pèrez, Ibáñez, Blanco, Suárez, Rebbach - Diabatè, Martínez
Prediction
Elche come in as favorites thanks to their formidable home form and the visitors’ significant personnel losses (the absence of Aleñá is a huge blow to Alaves’s defensive potential). That said, both sides have recently been involved in high-scoring encounters, with plenty of attacking flair and defensive mishaps. Given the sky-high motivation on both benches and the depleted defensive ranks, expect a wide-open and entertaining clash. My prediction: Over 2.5 total goals.
