Match Preview: Alaves vs Atletico Madrid
As the La Liga season nears its climax, Deportivo Alaves face a vital home fixture against Atletico Madrid on Saturday. While the visitors sit comfortably in the top four, their hopes of chasing the title have effectively vanished, leaving little more than pride and positioning on the line. For Alaves, however, the stakes are far more pressing as they continue their battle to avoid the drop.
Form Guide & Odds Overview
Atletico Madrid head into the match as slight favorites, priced around 23/20 to take all three points. Deportivo Alaves, on the other hand, sit at longer odds of 11/4, with a draw available at 21/10. The bookmakers also anticipate a tight encounter, with over 2.5 goals offered at 6/4, reflecting a likely defensive battle.
Despite Atletico’s overall quality, their away form leaves room for concern. Diego Simeone’s men have managed fewer than half wins in 16 road games this season and recently fell 1-0 to relegation-threatened Las Palmas. They’ve also dropped points against Leganes and Getafe, more setbacks that have contributed to their derailed title ambitions.
Team News
Alaves will miss key defender Abdel Abqar due to injury, but otherwise, the squad remains stable. The hosts are expected to field a similar lineup to the one that secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad.
Atletico Madrid has a fully fit squad at their disposal. Diego Simeone faces selection dilemmas up front, with Julian Alvarez, Alexander Sørloth, and Antoine Griezmann all pushing for starting roles after strong recent showings.
Tactical Outlook: Defense to Dominate
Expect a tense, low-scoring contest. Alaves have recently found defensive stability and have conceded sparingly against higher-ranked teams in recent weeks. At home, they average just 0.75 goals scored per match, while half of their home games have ended with fewer than two goals.
Atletico Madrid’s away matches have also trended low on goals, averaging just 2.1 per game. Notably, they’ve endured three 1-0 losses away from home this season, underlining their vulnerability when not playing at the Wanda Metropolitano.
First-half goals may be especially scarce. Atletico have failed to score in the first half of nine of their 16 away games, while six have been goalless at the break. Similarly, Alaves have seen 10 home first halves end without a goal.
With Atletico showing limited urgency and Alaves battling for survival, the hosts may have the edge. Their recent home form combined with Atletico’s away inconsistencies could set the stage for a narrow, potentially decisive 1-0 win.
Prediction: Alaves 1-0 Atletico Madrid
