Real Madrid vs Alaves Prediction Apr 21 2026 — La Liga

While the bookmakers favor a comfortable Real Madrid win, their recent defensive frailty and the psychological weight of their trophyless campaign suggest they might not keep a clean sheet against a desperate, counter-attacking Alavés side. The "Both Teams to Score" market offers better value than a one-sided handicap.

Match Preview & Form Guide

Real Madrid host Deportivo Alavés this Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at the Santiago Bernabéu, in a high-stakes La Liga fixture. Real Madrid find themselves in a challenging period under manager Álvaro Arbeloa, having recently been eliminated from the UEFA Champions League. With league silverware slipping away—trailing the leaders by nine points—the focus for Los Blancos has shifted toward salvaging some pride in the final stretch of the season. Their recent form is concerning, with a draw against Girona and a loss to Mallorca in their last few outings, highlighting a lack of defensive consistency.

Conversely, Deportivo Alavés, now managed by the experienced Quique Sánchez Flores, are fighting for survival in the bottom half of the table (17th). While they have shown grit—recently salvaging a 3-3 draw against Real Sociedad—they are leaking goals, making the trip to the Bernabéu an extremely difficult test. Key injuries for Madrid include long-term absentee Thibaut Courtois and young defender Raul Asencio, who is ruled out with a severe bout of gastroenteritis.

• Real Madrid Form: D-L-L-W-D (Last 5, All comps)
• Alaves Form: D-D-W-L-L (Last 5, All comps)
• Key Absences: Thibaut Courtois, Rodrygo Goes, Raul Asencio (Real Madrid)
• Stakes: Real Madrid looking to maintain top-four status; Alavés battling to avoid the drop.

Tactical Analysis & Key Battles

Real Madrid are expected to dominate possession and look for an early breakthrough to settle the nerves of a frustrated home crowd. Arbeloa will likely lean on the individual brilliance of Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Jr. to break down a resilient but structurally vulnerable Alavés side. Expect Madrid to press high, attempting to exploit any errors from the Alavés backline.

Quique Sánchez Flores will almost certainly instruct his team to sit deep, adopt a compact low block, and look for transition opportunities through Lucas Boyé, who has been in fine scoring form. The tactical battle will be decided in the midfield, where Alavés will need Antonio Blanco to shield their defense effectively against the relentless pressure from Federico Valverde and the creative distribution of Arda Güler.