Real Madrid vs Alaves Preview: 02:30 on April 22, La Liga Round 33

Real Madrid vs Alaves Preview (02:30, April 22). Predicted result, anticipated team formations, expert insights for the Real Madrid vs Alaves clash in Round 33 of the Spanish La Liga 2025/26.

Real Madrid vs Alaves Preview

Real Madrid enters Tuesday night's match needing a morale boost after being officially eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich. The bitter defeat in Europe, coupled with a four-game streak without a win across all competitions, has placed coach Alvaro Arbeloa and his team in an extremely difficult situation. In La Liga, trailing league leaders Barcelona by 9 points with only 7 rounds remaining makes the "White Giants" hope of defending their title exceedingly fragile.

Even though the season risks ending without silverware, the Spanish royal club must maintain professionalism to protect their 2nd place position from Villarreal's pursuit. The Bernabeu home ground will be a foundation for Real Madrid to rediscover the winning feeling, especially given their excellent head-to-head record against Alaves with 8 consecutive victories. The superior caliber of stars like Kylian Mbappe or Vinicius Junior is expected to speak up timely to soothe the Champions League pain.

On Alaves' side, the Basque team has been displaying an entertaining but equally risky style since coach Quique Sanchez Flores took over in March. They have just experienced a dramatic series of matches with comeback victories and breathless draws, exemplified by the 3-3 draw against Real Sociedad. The central figure for Alaves currently is Lucas Boye, who consistently scores crucial goals in the final minutes to secure valuable points.

However, Alaves' position remains in the danger zone. With 33 points, they are only 1 point clear of the relegation group. The upcoming schedule is an extreme challenge as they must face both Real Madrid and Barcelona. Alaves' fatal weakness lies in their defense, having conceded 3 goals in each recent away match. If they cannot improve concentration in the backline, the trip to Madrid is predicted to be another nightmare for "El Glorioso".

Squad Status for Real Madrid vs Alaves

Real Madrid: The defense is missing Raul Asencio due to gastritis. Star Rodrygo remains absent long-term due to ligament injury. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is still unavailable due to a thigh injury, Andrey Lunin will continue as starter. The only positive news is the return of Aurelien Tchouameni in midfield after his European cup suspension.

Alaves: The visiting team lacks Abde Rebbach due to suspension (accumulated 5 yellow cards). Carlos Benavidez is still undergoing injury treatment. However, striker Lucas Boye is likely to start from the beginning following his brilliant performances when coming off the bench.

Expected Lineups for Real Madrid vs Alaves

Real Madrid (4-3-3): Lunin; Alexander-Arnold, Militao, Rudiger, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Guler, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr.

Alaves (5-3-2): Sivera; Perez, Otto, Tenaglia, Parada, Yusi; Ibanez, Blanco, Guridi; Martinez, Boye.

Head-to-head History and Form of Real Madrid vs Alaves

Real Madrid's Form

16/04/26: Bayern Munich 4-3 Real Madrid (Champions League)

11/04/26: Real Madrid 1-1 Girona (La Liga)

08/04/26: Real Madrid 1-2 Bayern Munich (Champions League)

04/04/26: Mallorca 2-1 Real Madrid (La Liga)

23/03/26: Real Madrid 3-2 Atletico Madrid (La Liga)

Alaves's Form

11/04/26: Real Sociedad 3-3 Alaves (La Liga)

06/04/26: Alaves 2-2 Osasuna (La Liga)

22/03/26: Celta Vigo 3-4 Alaves (La Liga)

14/03/26: Alaves 1-1 Villarreal (La Liga)

09/03/26: Valencia 3-2 Alaves (La Liga)

Head-to-head History Real Madrid vs Alaves

15/12/25: Alaves 1-2 Real Madrid

13/04/25: Alaves 0-1 Real Madrid

25/09/24: Real Madrid 3-2 Alaves

15/05/24: Real Madrid 5-0 Alaves

22/12/23: Alaves 0-1 Real Madrid

Predicted Result for Real Madrid vs Alaves

Although Real Madrid shows signs of morale decline, the disparity in class between the two teams remains too vast. Alaves possesses high fighting spirit, but their loose defense will be "easy prey" for the top-tier strikers on the home side craving to relieve pressure. Real Madrid is likely to secure a convincing victory to regain fans' confidence.

Predicted Score: Real Madrid 3-1 Alaves