Real Madrid and Alaves clash in La Liga top 5 battle
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Real Madrid host Deportivo Alaves on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu. Just seven points separate the two sides. However, it is third place Real Madrid who is in the ascendancy as they have won three straight fixtures. Alaves, on the other hand, are trending down having lost two straight matches.
The Basque Country club has conceded five goals in their last two games while scoring zero goals. Santiago Solari’s Madrid have tallied eight goals in three wins while conceding three.
Los Blancos competed in midweek in the Copa del Rey picking up a 3-1 win over Girona. Madrid are now in the final four of the tournament as Solari seeks his second trophy as boss. His first came in the FIFA Club World Cup in December. Madrid have several key players in-form including Karim Benzema, who scored two goals against Espanyol last week.
Benzema has now scored four goals in his last two games in all competitions. Midfielder Luka Modric has scored twice in his last three games as well as 22-year-old Dani Ceballos. The youngster has stepped into the squad under Solari and scored twice in his last three matches.
Alaves were a great story in the opening months of the season. The team had reached as high as second place in week 10. Since then, Alaves have lost five of their last 11 games. Just three of those matches ended in wins. Alaves have tallied the fifth fewest goals in La Liga (22). Their defence has been their saving grace, however. Alaves have allowed 24 goals, the seventh fewest.
Manager Abelardo has watched his team lose five of their last 11 fixtures. Remarkably, Alaves defeated Real Madrid in their earlier meeting this term. That win came in October during a run of poor form for Madrid. It was Alaves’ only win against Madrid in their last six meetings. Solari’s team has won the other five games between the two teams.
In Madrid’s five wins against Alaves they outscored the Basque team 16-3. All five wins saw over 2.5 goals scored. Los Blancos have scored at least 3.0 goals in their last six home matches against Alaves in all competitions.
Sunday night’s La Liga clash will see Madrid romp to another home win against Alaves. Solari’s team will score three goals and Benzema is good value to get at least one of those scores.
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