La Liga | Gameweek 17

Dec 15, 2024 at 3.15pm UK

Estadio de Mendizorroza

Alavesvs.Athletic Bilbao

Match preview

Alaves held Osasuna to a 2-2 draw in La Liga last weekend in Eduardo Coudet's first league game in charge of the club after being appointed head coach in early December.

The Basque side took a 1-0 lead in the first minute before conceding twice to go 2-1 down, but Kike Garcia's second in the 68th minute was enough to secure a welcome point for a team that has struggled for results of late.

Alaves are without a league win since the start of November and their disappointing form has seen them drop to 16th in the table, with a record of four wins, three draws and nine defeats to collect 15 points.

The Blue and Whites finished 10th in La Liga last season, but it looks as though they could be in the relegation zone this term, with just two points separating them from the bottom three.

Alaves have failed to make much of a difference to Athletic in recent encounters, failing to triumph in the last five La Liga meetings between the two sides, with the Lions winning 2-0 on both occasions in the 2023-24 campaign.

Athletic's form is excellent, with Valverde's men unbeaten in their last 12 matches in all competitions - nine of which have been wins - and they go into the clash on the back of a six-game winning run.

The Lions have won their last two league games, beating both Real Madrid and Villarreal, and have taken 32 points from 17 league games this season, which puts them in fourth place in the standings, just six points behind leaders Barcelona with the same number of games played.

Valverde's side go into the game on the back of an excellent European campaign, having beaten Fenerbahce 2-0 in Turkey to move up to second in the Europa League on 16 points.

Athletic finish the year with games against Alaves and Osasuna, and victories in both of those fixtures could keep them in the title race until 2025, which would be a remarkable achievement.

It is shaping up to be a potentially historic campaign for the Basque side, but their away form in La Liga this season has been patchy, with just 11 points from seven games, including three wins.

Recent Performance

Alaves La Liga form:LWLLDD

Alaves form (all competitions):WLLDLD

Athletic Bilbao La Liga form:DDWWWW

Athletic Bilbao form (all competitions):WWWWWW

Team News

Alaves are in good shape for this game, with the club reporting no fitness problems, so head coach Coudet is expected to have a full-strength side to choose from this weekend.

Kike Garcia scored twice against Osasuna last time out and is likely to retain his place in the middle of the park, while Carlos Martin and Carlos Vicente will continue in wide positions.

Jon Guridi started at number 10 last time out and is likely to do so again on Sunday, while Stoichkov and Toni Martinez will come off the bench.

Athletic will be without Yeray Alvarez and Ander Herrera due to muscular problems, while Nico Williams will miss out after suffering a knee injury against Fenerbahce in the Europa League.

There will be changes to the side that took the field against Fenerbahce, with Alex Berenguer, Dani Vivian and Benat Prados all coming in.

Inaki Williams, who netted twice in the last game, will again start on the right flank, while Oihan Sancet and Gorka Guruzeta will continue in attacking positions for the visitors this weekend.

Possible starting lineup

Alaves possible starting lineup:

Sivera; Tenaglia, Abqar, Mourino, Diarra; Vicente, Jordan, Blanco, Martin; Guridi; Kike Garcia

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:

Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Vivian, Paredes, Yuri; Ruiz de Galarreta, Prados; I Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; Guruzeta