Villarreal vs Alaves prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2026-01-09 15:15.
[p]High-flying Villarreal are looking to open 2026 with back-to-back La Liga victories and are heavy favourites to do so against an Alavés side who struggle for form on the road.[/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]Villarreal picked up a timely victory in their first game of 2026, as they ended a three-match losing streak across all competitions by beating Elche 3-1. Only one of those defeats came in the league, with a return of seven wins from their last eight such games keeping Marcelino’s men in the top three and on the fringes of the title race. A first top-four finish since 2015/16 is a more realistic aim for the Yellow Submarine, whose charge is being fuelled by stellar domestic home form, as they’ve dropped just five points at the Estadio de la Cerámica this term (W7, D1, L1), albeit their only loss came in their last league game here against table-topping Barcelona.[/p]
[p]AlavĂ©s face one of the division’s toughest fixtures at a poor time, as a run of one win in seven league games has seen their gap to the drop zone shrink to three points pre-round. A 1-1 draw with rock-bottom Real Oviedo last time out highlights their recent struggles, and things aren’t about to improve if their returns on the road are anything to go by. AlavĂ©s have picked up just four away points in La Liga this season (W1, D1, L6), while their five successive road defeats including four failures to score make them rank outsiders here. [/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]While Alavés were victorious the last time these sides met back in March (1-0), they’ve failed to win their last five trips to Villarreal (D1, L4), conceding 3+ goals in each defeat.[/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]Villarreal have faced a league-low of 55 shots on target this season.[/p]
[p]Only Atlético (1) have conceded first in fewer La Liga matches than Villarreal (4) this term.[/p]
[p]Alavés have committed a pre-round league-high 279 fouls.[/p]
[p]Alavés have scored a joint-league low one first-half away goal this season.[/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]Villarreal’s Sergi Cardona has helped his side keep a clean sheet in three of his previous five personal H2Hs (W2, D2, L1), while he assisted his side’s final goal against Elche. Lucas Boyé was on the scoresheet in Alavés’ draw with Oviedo, continuing a theme that’s seen eight of his last ten goals serve as the first or last of the game.[/p]
[p]Santiago Mouriño is a doubt for Villarreal after going off late against Elche. Alavés will be without the suspended Carlos Protesoni.[/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]Given recent history, a Villarreal win and under 2.5 goals appears a smart option.[/p]
[p][i]Author: Matt Jones[/i][/p]