Preview: Alaves vs Valencia - prediction, team news, lineups

Valencia, who are currently without a permanent head coach, will head on their travels for Tuesday's La Liga clash against Alaves at Mendizorroza.

Los Che are propping up the standings, while the hosts begin the midweek round of fixtures inside the top four.

Match preview

After steering Alaves to safety last term, Quique Sanchez Flores started his first full season in charge with a four-game unbeaten run (W3, D1).

After taking four points from their first two games, Alaves recorded back-to-back wins over Villarreal and Osasuna, with the latter coming via an eye-catching 5-2 scoreline.

Unfortunately for El Glorioso, their unbeaten start to the season came to an end in Saturday's 2-1 away defeat against Racing Santander despite taking the lead through Ville Koski.

The Basque outfit are still in a strong position in La Liga, sitting in third place with 10 points to their name, the same number as Atletico Madrid and Sevilla and just two fewer than Real Madrid in second spot.

With all three wins taking place at Mendizorroza, Alaves head into Tuesday's contest as one of four teams with a 100% home record in La Liga, along with Real Madrid, Real Betis and league leaders Barcelona.

They can take inspiration from the fact they have avoided defeat in their last seven home games against Valencia (W4, D3), including clean sheets in each of the previous three encounters between the two sides at Mendizorroza.

In contrast to their hosts, Valencia have experienced a woeful start to the season, mustering just one point from their opening five games.

A goalless draw against Celta Vigo was followed by four consecutive defeats, including a narrow 1-0 loss in Friday's away clash against Sevilla.

The defeat at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan pushed Valencia to part ways with head coach Carlos Corberan and chief executive Ron Gourlay, with Braulio Vazquez returning to the club as the new sporting director.

While Valencia have started their search for a new coach, the club's B team manager Oscar Sanchez has been named as interim boss ahead of tricky games against Alaves and Real Sociedad before the three-week international break.

Sanchez faces the unenviable task of lifting a team that are two points adrift from safety and has netted just once in five games.

Their struggles in the final third will certainly dampen hopes of a first league win at Mendizorroza since a 2-1 success in October 2017.

Alaves La Liga form:

Valencia La Liga form:

Team News

The hosts are without defender Facundo Garces and midfielder Mikel Rodriguez, who have been ruled out with anterior cruciate ligament injuries since the start of the month.

Striker Aitor Manas will miss the next two games through concussion protocols after being stretchered off with a head injury in the latter stages of Saturday’s defeat.

Sanchez is expected to freshen up his lineup, with Carles Alena and Toni Martinez both in contention to start at Mestalla.

Valencia are unable to call upon the injured quintet of Mouctar Diakhaby, Jose Manuel Copete, Dimitri Foulquier, Diego Lopez and Umar Sadiq.

Defender Cesar Tarrega will have to be assessed after being forced off in the first half of Friday’s defeat due to a hamstring injury.

Luis Rioja is available after a two-match injury absence, but it remains to be seen whether Guido Rodriguez will prove his fitness in time for Tuesday’s fixture.

Alaves possible starting lineup:

Sivera; Tenaglia, Koski, Otto; Perez, Ibanez, Blanco, Alena, Rebbach; Boye, Martinez

Valencia possible starting lineup:

Dimitrievski; Maffeo, Cordoba, De Haas, Vazquez; Dieng, Pepelu; Otorbi, Elliott, Sato; Duro

We say: Alaves 1-1 Valencia

We think Valencia could play with greater freedom following Corberan's dismissal, but while such an approach could yield a goal, we think a draw is the best they can hope for at a venue they have not won at in nine years.

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