Osasuna vs Alaves Match Preview & Prediction

Osasuna vs Alaves predictions, H2H and match preview for this Sunday’s game in La Liga. Read on for analysis and predicted line-ups for this Basque derby clash in Pamplona.

Osasuna vs Alaves Preview

Osasuna and Alaves resume their local rivalry this weekend with Alaves making the short trip to El Sadar. They will know they will be in for a really tough test against an Osasuna outfit that has not lost a home league game in over 18 months and the early signs are that they are going to be a really tough side to beat this season, even though they are now operating on a higher level.

They travelled to face a Mallorca side that was promoted with them in midweek and twice fought back to draw 2-2 in Palma. They’ll see that as a point gained but will be really targeting maximum points here. Osasuna have only lost twice so far this term, the same number as leaders Barcelona but the only criticism you could perhaps throw at them is that there have been games where they’ve failed to convert one point into three.

Alaves meanwhile haven’t been quite so convincing. They have a new coach in the shape of Asier Garitano but again they look like they will be heavily reliant on their home results if they are going to avoid a relegation scrap. Their 5 road games so far this term have yielded just a solitary point. Worryingly they’ve not even been particularly tough to beat with an average of 2.4 goals per game conceded on their travels, not something you’d expect from a Garitano side.

It’s perhaps a sign of how far Osasuna have come that they will come into this game as clear favourites with Valencia and Villarreal defeated in their two most recent home outings. The form-book can sometimes go out the window in derby matches though so Jagoba Arrasate will be a bit wary of that but should remain confident that if his team plays as well as they have in recent home games, they should win the match.

Osasuna vs Alaves Predictions

Score Prediction: 2-0 Osasuna

Alaves on their travels look like a really unconvincing outfit and they’ve been too easily brushed aside at times. Any doubts in the Osasuna camp about whether they could again turn El Sadar into a fortress at a higher level now seem to have been banished and there’s no reason not to fancy the hosts to edge this one.

Osasuna vs Alaves H2H

• Last 6 meetings: 2 Osasuna Wins, 4 Alaves.
• The last 6 meetings at El Sadar have produced 3 wins each.
• The most recent was a 1-0 Alaves win in November 2016.
• Osasuna did gain some revenge by winning the reverse fixture later in the season but they were still relegated that year and the sides haven’t met since.

Read all our weekend La Liga previews here!

Predicted Line Ups

Osasuna Team:

Martinez – Estupinan, Hernandez, Garcia, Vidal – Brasanac, Sanjurjo, Merida – Torres, Avila, Garcia (4-3-3)

Alaves Team:

Pacheco – Duarte, Laguardia, Magallan, Aguirregabiria – Rioja, Wakaso, Garcia, Vidal – Joselu, Garcia (4-4-2)

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