Alaves vs Osasuna Match Preview & Predictions

Alaves vs Osasuna match preview and predictions for Saturday’s LaLiga match. Read on for the head-to-head, team news and predicted lineups as two bottom half teams clash in Vitoria.

Alaves vs Osasuna Preview

There’s a local derby in Vitoria this weekend as Osasuna travel to face Alaves. The visitors are showing signs that they may be able to pull clear of the relegation scrap and a victory here really would cement themselves in mid-table whilst plunging their rivals into further trouble.

This is a really big game for Alaves who haven’t truly convinced this season under either Pablo Machin or Abelardo. The latter’s return came at a slightly curious time with Alaves reasonably well placed to avoid relegation under Machin and Abelardo wasn’t dealt many favours by a series of difficult fixtures to commence his reign.

4 of his 6 league games so far have been against teams in the top five and all ended in defeat including heavy losses away to Barcelona and Real Sociedad in their last two games. The Alaves board won’t be too worried about that but one or two alarm bells might start to ring if they start slipping up in these kinds of games too. With Alaves only a point outside the relegation zone heading into this game, they really could do with a repeat of their last outing at Mendizorrotza – a 1-0 win over fellow strugglers Real Valladolid, their only victory to date during Abelardo’s second spell.

Osasuna meanwhile did keep faith with their coach despite a difficult start to the season and they are starting to reap the rewards. Jagoba Arrasate’s side have won 3 of their last 5 league games with key victories over Granada, Eibar and Levante giving them some breathing space on the teams involved in the thick of the relegation scrap.

They weren’t great on Monday night though, falling to a 2-0 defeat at home to Sevilla but they are showing enough overall to suggest they will ultimately beat the drop. It’s not always pretty, but Osasuna have solid foundations and two capable strikers in the shape of Jonathan Calleri and Ante Budimir who while not the most talented players in the world, always give opposing centre-backs a tough afternoon.

Head to Head

• Last 6 Competitive Meetings: 4 Osasuna Wins, 1 Alaves Win, 1 Draw.
• The sides drew 1-1 in Pamplona earlier this term.
• Osasuna have won 1-0 on their last two visits to Alaves.
• Alaves haven’t beaten Osasuna at home in the league since two 3-0 victories in the Segunda Division in 2015.

Team News

Rodrigo Ely is out due to injury for the hosts while Ruben Duarte is a doubt.

Juan Cruz is fit again for the visitors and should start. Iñigo Pérez is an injury concern.

Predicted Alaves Starting Lineup:

Pacheco – Duarte, Lejeune, Laguardia, Ximo – Cordoba, Battaglia, Pina, Mendez – Joselu, Perez (4-4-2)

Predicted Osasuna Starting Lineup:

Herrera – Cruz, Aridane, Garcia, Vidal – Garcia, Torro, Oier, Barja – Calleri, Budimir (4-4-2)

Alaves vs Osasuna Predictions

LaLiga Expert Predicts: Alaves 1-1 Osasuna

This one isn’t easy to call and it feels as though they could largely cancel each other out with both teams likely to line up 4-4-2 and not much of a difference in terms of overall quality. Alaves’ poor results so far under Abelardo have to some extent at least been the result of a tough run of fixtures but at home to bottom half teams, you always fancy them to get something.

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