Alaves vs Sevilla predictions, H2H and match preview for this Sunday’s game in La Liga. Read on for analysis and predicted line-ups as the visitors aim to stay top.
DATE/TIME – Sunday 2nd December 2018, 20:45 (Spanish Time)
STADIUM – Mendizorrotza
COMPETITION – La Liga
#AlavesSevillaFC
This Sunday’s late game sees two of the season’s standout performers do battle in Vitoria. Alaves were tipped to struggle but are laying the foundations for an unlikely European challenge, even if Abelardo continues to downplay talk of such a thing. Sevilla meanwhile are top of La Liga and if they can remain there into the new year, a genuine title challenge may not be completely out of the question.
Their chances of that would in truth greatly benefit were they to be knocked out of the Europa League. That’s a possibility now after a 1-0 defeat in Belgium on Thursday but they can still rectify the situation by winning their final group game. Given Sevilla’s affinity with that competition they will certainly be very keen to do that but with 26 games played already this season, tiredness has to be something of a factor now.
Alaves have played 12 fewer matches than their opponents and have had a full 9 days to prepare for this one. Their last match saw them sink to a 1-0 defeat at Butarque against Leganes and it was one of their worst performances of the campaign. In truth, even the games they’ve been winning they’ve only been edging but their home record is so good since Abelardo took charge, that it would be wrong to suggest they’ve been lucky.
They have Mubarak Wakaso fit here and that should add a bit of steel into the midfield, something they really lacked last Friday. Sevilla will provide a very different kind of test but Alaves will fancy they can cause a threat down the flanks with wingers Ibai Gomez and Jony. The visitors meanwhile have some fresh legs to bring in from their latest European trip and they might just need them.
Alaves vs Sevilla Predictions
Score Prediction: 2-1 Alaves
This week has been the first one where talk of fatigue being a problem for Sevilla, has really looked like a factor. They faded late on against Valladolid last weekend and needed some good saves to hold on for a 1-0 win. That was followed by defeat against a Standard Liege side they hammered 5-1 only a couple of months back and a high tempo game against a pressing Alaves side is the last thing they need right now. The Basques could cause an upset here.
Alaves vs Sevilla H2H
- Last 6 meetings: 3 Sevilla Wins, 2 Alaves Wins, 1 Draw.
- Both meetings last season produced 1-0 home wins.
- Sevilla have taken just 1 point from their last 4 trips to Alaves.
- They’ve not won here since December 2001.
One to Watch – Ibai Gomez
Leicester are keen on signing Deportivo Alavés winger Ibai Gomez. Alavés will listen to offers for the
29-year-old, with Leeds interested too. [AS] pic.twitter.com/LbCh0WUehw— Leicester Xtra (@LeicesterXtra) November 23, 2018
Ibai Gomez was Alaves only real threat at Leganes last week and he strikes a football from range as well as anyone in this league.
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Next up in La Liga – Levante vs Athletic Bilbao preview and prediction
Predicted Line Ups
Alaves Team:
Pacheco – Navarro, Maripan, Laguardia, Duarte – Jony, Wakaso, Garcia, Gomez – Calleri, Sobrino (4-4-2)
Sevilla Team:
Vaclik – Gomez, Kjaer, Carrico – Escudero, Vazquez, Banega, Vidal – Sarabia – Silva, Ben Yedder (3-4-1-2)
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