When will the Nervionenses finally get their act together?

After the first half of the season, reigning Europa League winners Sevilla FC are in a sobering 16th place in the La Liga table. One point and one place above them is promoted Deportivo Alaves. Should Sevilla win at home against Alaves, the Andalusians would at least overtake the Basques and could significantly improve their situation

However, Alaves already won the first leg against Sevilla 4:3, but scored almost a third of all their goals in La Liga so far this season in that game. With just 15 goals, the Basques have the second weakest offense of all 20 Spanish first division teams, which certainly influences the prediction for Sevilla against Alaves. The Babazorros are currently without a win in five league games (two draws, three defeats) and have scored just one goal in this period

However, Sevilla FC are not in particularly good form going into this home game, which also marks the start of the second half of the season. The Rojiblancos have lost five of their last seven competitive games (two wins) and have only won two of their ten home games in La Liga in the 2023/24 season (four draws, four defeats). The bet on Nervionenses to win at home is therefore definitely not a sure-fire success.

Accordingly, we think it makes sense to switch to the double chance 1X and at least consider the possibility of a points split. Since neither team has been able to convince offensively, the combined bet on 1X with under 3.5 goals makes a lot of sense

Sevilla – Statistics & current form

Sevilla FC had already imagined a completely different 2022/23 season, in which the Andalusians were stuck in the relegation battle for long stretches and ended up in a very sobering twelfth place in the final table.

However, the meagre pre-season was saved by the seventh overall victory in the UEFA Europa League, which also took the Nervionenses back into the Champions League. However, the problems of the previous season have returned with a vengeance for the new season

Sevilla have lost five of their last seven competitive games

After the first half of the season, Sevilla are only 16th in the table and just one point ahead of the first relegation spot. As the Andalusians only finished fourth in the Champions League group stage this time around, the Europa League is no longer a lifeline.

This makes it all the more important for the Rojiblancos to somehow avert relegation and then reposition themselves for the 2024/25 season. However, the momentum is currently not all that great. They have lost five of their last seven competitive matches (two wins)

No signs of a turnaround under Sánchez Flores either

New coach Quique Sánchez Flores, who took over the reins in Andalusia in mid-December, has not yet been able to turn things around. Only three points out of a possible nine have been scored under the 58-year-old. On Sunday, the Rojiblancos also narrowly avoided another embarrassment against Racing de Ferrol in the Copa del Rey.

Juanlu Sánchez scored the redemptive goal three minutes before the end of normal time to secure a 2-1 away win at the second division club. It is therefore all the more surprising that the odds for Sevilla v Alaves are so clearly in favor of the Nervionenses, who have only won two of their ten home games in La Liga so far in the 2023/24 season (four draws, four defeats).

Predicted Sevilla line-up:

Alaves – Statistics & current form

Club Deportivo Alaves returned to La Liga this summer via the promotion play-offs. Under promotion coach Luis García, the Basque club’s top priority is now to regain a foothold in Spain’s top flight. The first step in achieving this is to stay in the top flight.

The interim results are certainly positive. The Babazorros have not won any of their last five league games (two draws, three defeats). Nevertheless, their haul of 17 out of a possible 57 points from the first half of the season is enough for 15th place in the table

Alaves last won at Sevilla FC 70 years ago

At the moment, however, staying in the league is on very shaky ground. The Blanquiazules are just two points clear of the first relegation spot. If Sevilla win at home against Alaves, the Basques would slip to at least 16th place in the table.

As a result, the motto for the visit to the record Europa League winners is “no losing”. However, the fact that Alaves have not won away at Sevilla FC since 1954 does not make the task any easier

Alaves have yet to win away from home in La Liga in 2023/24

If they are to get a point at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, the Babazorros will not only have to be compact defensively and keep a clean sheet at the back, but ideally also get to grips with their recent offensive stalemate. Alaves did concede four goals to Sevilla FC in the first leg of their 4-3 home win.

However, the Blanquiazules have scored just 15 goals in 19 league games. Only Cádiz scored fewer goals in the league in the 2023/24 season (14). The fact that Luis García’s side are still winless in ten La Liga away games this season (four draws, six defeats) also speaks against the promoted side.

Predicted line-up for Alaves:

Sevilla – Alaves head-to-head comparison / H2H record

Head to head: 15 – 9 – 8

There have only been 32 meetings between the two clubs so far and with 15 wins, 46.9 percent of all encounters have gone to Sevilla FC, who, after ten consecutive meetings with Deportivo Alaves without defeat (six wins, four draws), were beaten in the first leg of the 2023/24 season. The Basques ultimately won 4:3 in a surprisingly high-scoring game at the Mendizorroza.

Sevilla – Alaves tip

Although the Rojiblancos have only won two of their ten home games in La Liga in the 2023/24 season (four draws, four defeats) and already suffered a 4-3 defeat against the Basques in the first leg, the betting odds for Sevilla against Alaves favor the home side. In our opinion, that is a very bold prediction. However, because the Babazorros do not have a very powerful offense and have yet to win away from home, a home win for the Nervionenses in this basement duel is at least not categorically ruled out

Given that the visitors have scored just one goal in their last five league games (two draws, three defeats), the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán should not be too high-scoring. Therefore, the prediction of double chance 1X with under 3.5 goals is very interesting for Sevilla vs Alaves