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

La Liga side Alaves will begin their 2025-26 Copa del Rey campaign with an away clash against sixth-tier CD Getxo on Thursday.

Alaves will be hoping to produce a deep run in the competition like they did in 2016-17, when they finished runners-up to Barcelona.

Match preview

Representing the Division de Honor de Vizcaya, Getxo had to negotiate a preliminary round tie against Betis Valladolid to set up a round one meeting with fellow Basque side Alaves.

Getxo played out a goalless draw in the first leg of the preliminary round, before they picked up a 2-1 win in Valladolid to secure the aggregate victory.

Their tie against Alaves will be a single-leg affair, which may boost their hopes of pulling off a major upset against La Liga opposition.

In regard to their league campaign, Getxo are sitting in fourth place in an 18-team league after winning three, drawing one and losing two of their six games.

Getxo will head into Thursday's fixture on the back of a narrow 2-1 home victory against Urduliz on Saturday, which came courtesy of a Markel Pradera penalty and an Ander Santos effort.

Frustratingly for Getxo, they will play at the Campo Municipal de Gobela because their usual home, the Campo Municipal de Fadura, does not meet the competition's minimum requirements.

Alaves are sitting in 12th place in La Liga after winning three, drawing three and losing four of their 10 matches this season.

Eduardo Coudet's side picked up their most recent victory in a home game against Elche before the international window earlier this month.

Alaves returned from the two-week break with a goalless draw against Valencia, before they were denied another point in dramatic fashion in Sunday's away meeting with Rayo Vallecano.

The Basque outfit looked set to play out a second consecutive goalless affair, only for Alemao to score a 91st-minute winner to ensure that the visitors left Vallecas with nothing to show for their efforts.

Alaves will now put their La Liga campaign on hold as they look to avoid a round one exit in the Copa del Rey for the first time since 2010-11.

After failing to win their last three matches on the road, El Glorioso are targeting their first away victory since beating Athletic Club 1-0 at San Mames on September 13.

Getxo form (all competitions):

W D D W D W

Alaves form (all competitions):

L W D D W W

Team News

Ager Argoitia is set to start between the posts for the home side, with the goalkeeper bracing himself for a busy evening against top-flight opposition.

Iker Ansotegi is pushing for a starting spot after featuring as a half-time substitute in Saturday's narrow win over Urduliz.

Markel Pradera is likely to be one of Getxo's main attacking outlets, having scored six goals in seven appearances across the league and Copa del Rey this season.

Meanwhile, Alaves defender Jon Pacheco is set for a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a shoulder injury in Sunday’s defeat to Rayo.

Facundo Garces is serving a 12-month FIFA ban for allegedly gaining citizenship to represent the Malaysia national team through the use of falsified documents.

Alaves youngster Alvaro Garcia has been promoted to the first team ahead of the cup game, and is likely to be one of Coudet's wholesale changes for the trip to Getxo.

Getxo possible starting lineup:

Argoitia; Gutierrez, Koldo, Ansotegi, Garrido; Iker, Santos, Oier, Torralvo; M. Pradera, Garcia

Alaves possible starting lineup:

Fernandez; Ballestero, Diarra, Garcia, Parada; Calebe, Guevara, Guridi, Rebbach; Morcillo, Mariano

We say: Getxo 0-6 Alaves

Alaves will likely field a much-changed starting lineup for Thursday's first-round clash, but they will still name a superior XI to their sixth-tier hosts, and with that in mind, we expect the top-flight outfit to rack up the goals in a resounding victory.