Alaves vs Malaga Predictions & Betting Tips, Match Previews

This game isn’t likely to be one worth getting up for in truth, with two of the more cautious teams and coaches facing off. Alaves fans may think otherwise though and they are enjoying life back in the top flight after a decade away in which they flirted with extinction. Their 2-1 win at Barcelona has already given them a real moment to remember from this season and they’ve shown enough in their other games too to suggest they will have no problem staying in La Liga for another season.

They looked to be heading for another good result on the road last time out, only to concede a stoppage time goal and lose 2-1 at Sevilla. At home though, they’ve been pretty solid so far with only 1 goal conceded and 5 points from their 3 matches in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Malaga made a slow start to life under Juande Ramos but have picked up a bit with 2-1 wins in their last two home matches against Eibar and Athletic Bilbao. They haven’t faced any of the ‘big three’ yet though and as a result may be a little disappointed with a return of 8 points from 7 matches. Away from home they’ve been poor, with their last two away games resulting in 1-0 defeats at Las Palmas and Real Betis.

This will be a good test of where both these teams are at. The bookies are struggling to pick a favourite for the game but there is just something unconvincing about Malaga so it’s hard to find any reason to back them to win this. Their 2-1 win over Athletic was largely helped by a 1st Half sending off to Balenziaga when the Basques were 1-0 up, so they are yet to put in a really solid performance over 90 minutes this term.

Alaves look really pumped up for this campaign and the tight Estadio de Mendizorroza looks like it will be a tough place for visiting teams to go. Malaga don’t tend to travel that well so backing Alaves 0.0 Asian Handicap at 1.925 looks a decent strategy here.