Alaves vs Valencia prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-09-01 16:30.
The cordially friendly return of manager Luis GarcĂa Plaza to former employers Getafe with his AlavĂ©s team was soured by what he described as a confusing VAR decision that led to Borja Mayoral’s decisive penalty kick in a 1-0 defeat. Nonetheless, the final result continued a pattern that emerged late last season in their successful bid for La Liga (LL) promotion, with their last 11 league games across two divisions (excluding playoffs) being won or drawn by the home side of the day.
One opposition the boss may not enjoy the sight of so much is upcoming opponents Valencia, against whom GarcĂa has a personal record of seven losses from ten meetings (W1, D2) in charge of four different clubs. But for all of AlavĂ©s’ woes during their previous top-flight occupation that included five consecutive bottom half finishes, they were beaten at home by Valencia just once in LL matches during that period (W3, D2, L1).
Three weeks after coach Rubén Baraja asked for “five or six” forwards before the close of the transfer window, Valencia managed just four shots on target in a home loss to Osasuna, one round after they failed to score from open play against newly promoted Las Palmas. But it was the defending that really frustrated him this time around, as the only two shots-on-target they faced from Osasuna were both converted into goals (L 1-2).
He wanted to quickly move on and learn from a result he felt was unfair on his side, and Baraja probably knows not to become too downbeat after their first away trip of the new LL season earned them three points courtesy of a 2-1 win at Sevilla. A key reason they were mired in a relegation scrap throughout 2022/23 was an inability to gain points on the road, and interestingly, their 12 LL away losses included the three promoted clubs in Girona (1-0), AlmerĂa (2-1) and Valladolid (1-0).
Players to watch: New AlavĂ©s signing Kike GarcĂa endeared himself to his new fans by matching last season’s haul of two LL goals in his first home adventure. A happy traveller, five of Mouctar Diakhaby’s last six competitive goals for his club have come away from home.
Hot stat: Valencia’s last 11 league games were either drawn or decided by a one-goal margin, as were Alavés’ last seven!