La Liga Preview: Real Madrid Faces Tough Battle May Opt for Rotation, Alavés Seeks Points Away After Recent Wins

On September 25 at 3:00, the 7th round of the 2024/25 La Liga season will see Real Madrid host Alavés.

Real Madrid currently sits second in La Liga with 14 points from six matches, trailing the undefeated leaders Barcelona by four points. The two draws in the first two league games of the season are directly responsible for their current point deficit. Although not at their best form, they have managed an unbeaten record across all competitions with six wins and two draws from eight matches, aiming to secure a fifth consecutive victory in this game.

In their recent four-game winning streak, Real Madrid’s performances have been nearly perfect. They have successively defeated strong opponents such as Betis, Real Sociedad, Stuttgart, and Espanyol, averaging at least a two-goal margin per game, demonstrating their strong control over the field. Before the resumption of the Champions League in early October, Real Madrid will face two league opponents, Alavés and Atlético Madrid, making it likely that coach Carlo Ancelotti will implement some degree of rotation for this match.

The frightening aspect of Real Madrid is that despite not standing out in the early stages of the season, they have maintained excellent results across multiple fronts. Even Kylian Mbappé, who faced criticism upon joining, has contributed six goals and one assist in eight appearances. People can’t help but wonder: how powerful will the fully integrated Real Madrid be?

Alavés currently ranks 7th in the league table with 10 points from six matches, just four points behind Real Madrid. As a promoted team last season, Alavés performed impressively, securing a final ranking of 10th place. After two winless rounds at the start of the new season, Luis García led the team to a strong rebound, winning three of the last four rounds, steadily climbing up the rankings. Without the distraction of European competitions, Alavés enjoys a certain advantage in terms of fitness.

Historically, Real Madrid dominates Alavés. Since the turn of the millennium, Alavés has only beaten Real Madrid twice. However, it’s worth noting that one of these defeats occurred recently in 2020 when Real Madrid lost 1-2 at home to Alavés, causing a major upset.

In terms of personnel, Real Madrid is still in recovery mode, with Camavinga, Ceballos, Alaba, and Brahim Díaz yet to return from injuries. Additionally, Real Madrid coach Ancelotti must consider the health of Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal, both of whom were forced off due to injuries in the match against Espanyol. With the Madrid derby approaching, Ancelotti may opt to start Lucas Vázquez as the right-back and make adjustments to the attacking lineup. Alavés, on the other hand, has a full squad available, with García likely to continue using the combination of Vicente and Toni Martínez, who have each scored two goals, alongside Carlos Martín to form the local attack line.

Real Madrid’s strategic focus appears to be on the crucial matches against Atlético Madrid and Lille. Will Alavés be able to cause trouble for Real Madrid at the Bernabéu? We’ll have to wait and see.

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