Alavés vs Málaga: Winless Visitors Arrive at Mendizorroza
Málaga are bottom of La Liga without a win; Alavés are seventh but have taken one point from their last five.
Alavés host Málaga at Mendizorroza on Friday (kick-off 19:00 UTC) in La Liga Matchday 10, a meeting of a seventh-placed side in poor recent form and a bottom-placed side still looking for its first win.
The table
Per Sports Mole's preview, Alavés are seventh on 11 points from nine matches (three wins, two draws, four defeats) under Quique Sánchez Flores. The preview notes that most of those points came in their first four games and that they have taken only one point from their last five; their last win was in early September.
Málaga, managed by Juan Francisco Funes, are bottom with four points from nine, from no wins, four draws and five defeats. Sports Mole describes them as the only top-flight side yet to win this season. They have scored six and conceded 18, which the preview calls the joint-second-worst defensive record in the league. Their most recent result was a 5-2 home defeat to Real Sociedad, their third league loss in four games.
Head-to-head
Across all competitions, Alavés have eight wins, three draws and nine defeats against Málaga in 20 meetings, with 18 goals for each side, according to the same source. The last meeting in La Liga was in May 2018, when Alavés won 3-0. They also met in the 2022-23 Segunda División, with each side winning at home (Málaga 1-0, Alavés 2-1).
Team news
Nothing is confirmed, so this reflects Sports Mole's expectations. Alavés expect Ángel Pérez back from suspension, while Facundo Garcés and Mikel Rodríguez are unavailable; Lucas Boyé has five goals in eight appearances. Málaga are without Diego Murillo and Julen Lobete through injury, with Aarón Ochoa and Juan Cruz doubtful. Adrián Niño leads their scoring with three goals in five appearances.
What to watch
The setup is simple: Málaga's problem is conceding, and Alavés's recent problem is scoring and winning. Whichever of those trends gives way decides the match. A home win would stop a slide for Alavés and extend Málaga's winless start; a Málaga result would be a notable change in their season. Sports Mole expects a 1-1 draw, writing that Málaga "are going to end their winless run at some stage, but we are not expecting that to occur on Friday" — one outlet's forecast, not a certainty.