Deportivo Alaves vs Granada

Estadio Mendizorrotza hosts a low-profile La Liga clash between newcomers Deportivo Alaves and Granada.

Deportivo Alaves’ strong start to life in La Liga is fading after a disastrous run of one win from their last nine league matches (D3, L5) demoted them to 15th in the standings, only five points clear of the relegation zone. With the pressure building on manager Luis Garcia, Alaves could’ve salvaged the Spaniard’s skin with an unlikely win at Barcelona on the cusp of the international break. But despite grabbing a first-minute lead, they eventually slumped to a 2-1 defeat, their second in three La Liga games (W1). If it’s any consolation, each of Alaves’ three top-flight triumphs this season has come on home turf, with ‘El Glorioso’ also going unbeaten in their last two matches at the Estadio Mendizorrotza (W1, D1).

On the other hand, visiting Granada came into the new campaign with high expectations after winning the Segunda Division title last term, only to falter disastrously in the first 13 rounds. Barring a 3-2 home win over Mallorca in August, the visitors have gone winless in their remaining 12 league fixtures (D4, L8), including the last ten in a row, five of which saw them concede multiple goals. Things are getting worse on the road, where the ‘Nazaries’ have only returned one point from six La Liga games this term (D1, L5), frustratingly failing to get on the scoresheet in three of their last four. But back-to-back unbeaten league H2Hs away to Deportivo could offer some respite to under-pressure boss Paco Lopez (D1, L1).