Deportivo Alaves vs Real Madrid 07/10/18
07 October 2018
After another miserable performance and a disappointing 1-0 defeat to CSKA Moscow in the Champions League, Real Madrid will be heading towards the Estadio Mendizorrotza to face-off against Deportivo Alaves.
The Babazorros have suffered a 2-1 loss to Levante and duked out a 1-1 draw with Getafe following two straight La Liga victories over Valladolid and Rayo Vallecano. Although El Glorioso opened the season with two successive failures, losing 3-0 to Barcelona and playing out a scoreless draw with Betis, Abelardo Fernandez’s efforts to raise his team’s game started to pay off, as Alaves currently occupy the 6th place with a +2 goal difference quite unexpectedly.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos are yet to find the right rhythm under Julen Lopetegui despite topping La Liga table alongside arch-rivals Barcelona. Besides, the Champions League holders have failed to clinch a victory in the previous two league games, having been held to a 1-1 draw against Athletic Bilbao while suffering a disastrous 3-0 defeat to Sevilla.
Additionally, apart from a 4-1 win over Girona at the Estadio Municipal de Montilivi, Los Merengues struggled on the road this season, recording just 4 points in three away games.
Rodrigo Ely won’t be playing for the hosts after picking up a knee injury, while Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Isco, and Gareth Bale all expected to skip the encounter for the visitors.