Alaves vs Osasuna Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Deportivo Alaves head into the final day of the campaign having managed to avoid La Liga relegation as they take on a top eight chasing Osasuna, desperate for European football.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so Alaves vs Osasuna may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN+
Alaves preview: Safe from the drop
Deportivo Alaves sacked manager Luis Garcia Plaza in early December and it was a bizarre decision at the time but the Basque side have now pushed themselves away from the danger zone with former Celta Vigo boss Eduardo Coudet at the helm.
Alaves come into this one on the back of well-timed back-to-back victories ahead of the visit of Osasuna to Mendizarrozza. They most recently defeated bottom-of-the-table Real Valladolid by a goal to nil last weekend thanks to a Kike Garcia winner.
Osasuna preview: Push for Europe
Osasuna lost manager Jago Arrasate to Real Mallorca last summer and his replacement, Vicente Moreno, was expected to oversee a relegation battle but he will instead depart El Sadar this summer having helped them compete for European qualification.
If either Rayo Vallecano or Celta Vigo drop points this week then Osasuna can squeeze themselves into either the UEFA Europa League or the UEFA Europa Conference League. They defeated Espanyol by two goals to nil in Pamplona last weekend.
Alaves team news: Couple of doubts
Ahead of the visit of Osasuna to the Basque Country this weekend, Alaves are dealing with a couple of defensive injury doubts for this one with Moussa Diarra now potentially sidelined alongside centre-back Abdel Abqar.
Predicted XI (4-1-3-2): Antonio Sivera; Tenaglia, Garces, Santiago Mourino, Manu Sanchez; Antonio Blanco; Carlos Vicente, Ander Guevara, Carles Alena; Jon Guridi, Kike
Unavailable:
Questionable: Diarra (Injured), Abqar (Injured)
Osasuna team news: Kike Barja a doubt
Osasuna can name an unchanged eleven for this weekend’s trip to face Alaves but their versatile, albeit fringe, attacker Kike Barja is an injury doubt for Osasuna. They are in good form and will try to keep that intact in terms of their starting eleven, though.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sergio Herrera; Jesus Areso, Boyomo, Alejandro Catena, Juan Cruz; Pablo Ibanez, Lucas Torro; Raul Garcia, Aimar Oroz, Bryan Zaragoza; Budimir
Unavailable:
Questionable: Kike Barja (Injured)
Alaves vs Osasuna prediction
Despite the appointment of Eduardo Coudet being one to try and be a little bit more entertaining for Alaves this season but the hosts have remained a bit more defensive as they secure La Liga status for next season. They have perhaps been fortunate with their results of late so Osasuna will go to the Basque Country as potential favourites for this one and they are slight favourites as they put the pressure on Celta and Rayo.
Alaves vs Osasuna tip: Osasuna to win
