La Liga Alaves vs Real Madrid: Are Los Blancos Starting to Miss Cristiano Ronaldo?

Alaves vs Real Madrid

Real Madrid head to the Basque country this weekend, but what is traditionally a happy hunting ground for Los Blancos could be a scene of a rather nervy affair.

It’s La Liga Alaves vs Real Madrid on Sunday, and while our SBOBET odds point to an away win, this game is more in the balance than previous encounters. Los Blancos don’t currently look the same side without ‘you know who’.

It’s easy to cope when you have players like Luka Modric and Sergio Ramos in the side, and head coach Julen Lopetegui didn’t hear talk of missing Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, poor form in the last two weeks has prompted the inevitable question.

Talking Points

After a comfortable Champions League win over Roma, we said ‘No Ronnie, no Worry’, but a growing number of Los Blancos fans are starting to wonder just how much the players are missing their former talisman. Goalkeeper Keylor Navas broke ranks, after a poor run of results, saying that his departure has definitely hurt the European Champions.

While his new club, Juventus, continue to dominate Serie A and win in Europe, the Madrid giants are not lighting up either competition at the moment.

Los Blancos’ attack looked a little toothless in last week’s home stalemate in the Madrid Derby. Now, they haven’t scored in three games, losing 3-0 to Sevilla and 1-0 to CSKA Moscow—their longest goal drought for 12 years.

La Liga Real Madrid vs Alaves: Will Gareth Bale be available to lead Los Blancos to a win? — Midfielder Gareth Bale sits on the bench during a La Liga game between Real Madrid and Espanyol

Leading scorer Gareth Bale, who sat out the defeat to CSKA after getting pulled off at halftime against Atletico, is doubtful. Meanwhile, the influential Isco remains sidelined.

Such has been the stuttering start of La Liga’s biggest guns.

On the other hand, Alaves fans will be stunned to see that with 11 points from seven games, they sit just three points from the summit. The hosts are unbeaten at home in the league and are well equipped to put up a good fight against a side struggling to score.

Keeper Fernando Pacheco has a fine pedigree, spending eight years at Real Madrid as a youth player and representing Spain at Under-21 level. And surely, he’ll get good protection from his teammates. Head coach Abelardo was parachuted into the Basque last December when Alaves was suffering second-season struggles, and he knows how to organise a defence, having been part of Barcelona’s back four at the turn of the Millennium.

Up front, winger Ibai Gomez is top scorer with three goals, and on-loan Jonathan Calleri scored an injury-time equaliser against Getafe in Alaves’ last home game. That’s his second of the new campaign after the Argentine scored nine while at Las Palmas last season.

The 19,000-capacity Mendizorrotza Stadium will be packed for the visit of Los Blancos, though most of the fans will be baying for a giant-killing.

History

Deportivo Alaves had an enjoyable return to the top flight after a ten-year absence, surviving comfortably and reaching the 2017 Copa del Rey final before losing 3-1 to Barcelona. After a slow start last season, Abelardo steadied the ship and is now aiming to take the next step.

Can the previous Alaves vs Real Madrid results give the underdogs more reason for optimism? In a word…’no’!

In 16 meetings, Real Madrid have won 13 while Alaves took just one, with the other two ending in a draw. And since Alaves’ promotion to the Primera Division in 2016, they have been well beaten by their opponents on each of four meetings—scoring only two goals while conceding 13.

Real won the last encounter, 4-0, at the Bernabeu back in February when both Karim Benzema and Bale were on target, and guess who scored a brace? Yep…Cristiano.

Betting Tip

	Alaves vs Real Madrid	Under 3.00 @ 1.97
	October 07, 00:30 (GMT+8)

For all the talk of a wobble at the Bernabeu, the Alaves vs Real Madrid betting odds should provide some comfort for Los Blancos fans. Alaves are out at 8.25, with the draw at 4.20 and Real Madrid at 1.41.

The goal spread is just over a goal, with the hosts at 2.09 with a +1.25 start. Meanwhile, Real Madrid are at 1.84 for a -1.25 handicap.

I think this will be a tight game and Los Blancos may be frustrated for long periods. They just need to rediscover that spark in front of goal.

Four out of Real’s seven league games have yielded under 2.50 goals, and Lopetegui will be happy with a win, whatever the margin. He would love a 0-2 scoreline, available at 7.20, whereas 1-2 at 7.60 will jangle the nerves again.