Valencia vs Deportivo Alaves 06/10/19

6 October 2019

Devastated by a 3-0 home loss to Ajax in the Champions League, Valencia return to the La Liga (LL) action this weekend as they welcome Deportivo Alaves to the Estadio de Mestalla.

The hosts have brought a three-game LL winless run to a halt (D2, L1) with a narrow 1-0 away triumph over Athletic Bilbao last time out. It was their only second league victory this term (W2, D3, L2), first that has come away from home. Interestingly, both of Valencia’s LL wins have seen them take a single-goal lead into halftime and hold on to that in the second half. Although unbeaten at home in four LL fixtures this term, the Oranges have already played out three draws (W1, D3), failing to withstand the pressure after breaking the deadlock on two occasions in the process. Los Ches have a great opportunity to extend their undefeated home run here, as they’ve won five successive LL home H2Hs with Alaves ahead of this match, scoring 2+ match goals in all.

The visitors, on the other hand, go into this encounter off the back of a 2-0 home triumph over the newly-promoted Mallorca. That recent success has helped Alaves put an end to a disappointing three-game league losing streak. Interestingly, all three of Alaves’ LL defeats this term have seen them draw a blank and lose at the halftime break. For the ‘Babazorros’ goals have been at a premium so far, as their tally of four goals scored remains LL second joint-lowest. What’s more, just one of those games has come away from home, with Alaves failing to get on the scoresheet in the last two LL trips.