Valladolid vs Alaves

Alaves have the opportunity to clinch their La Liga survival when they face relegated Real Valladolid at Estadio Jose Zorrilla on Sunday.

The away side enters matchday 37 occupying 17th place in the La Liga standings, while the hosts are rooted to the bottom of the table.

Real Valladolid are eagerly awaiting the season’s end, having struggled to leave a mark in La Liga after earning promotion from the second division last season.

The relegated team has managed only four wins, four draws, and suffered 28 losses in their 36 league games this campaign, sitting 16 points behind Las Palmas, who are in 19th place.

They’ve secured just one point from their past 17 La Liga matches since their last win, a home victory against Real Betis in January.

Alvaro Rubio’s squad has endured defeat in each of their last 10 league outings, including a tight 1-0 loss to Girona at home on Tuesday, courtesy of Cristhian Stuani’s 80th-minute strike.

This string of losses puts the Pucela on the verge of matching the longest losing streak in La Liga history, set by Las Palmas with 11 consecutive defeats in the 1959-60 season.

Despite their lack of momentum, Valladolid have a chance to achieve a rare La Liga double over Alaves, having secured a 3-2 win in the reverse fixture in October, which would mark only the second time in their history.

On the other hand, Alaves are well-positioned to avoid relegation, having lost just one of their last five matches (two wins, two draws).

Alaves earned a third straight home clean sheet in a 1-0 win against Valencia on Wednesday, with Joan Jordan converting a crucial penalty after the referee upheld his call despite reviewing Giorgi Mamardashvili’s challenge on Santiago Mourino.

This victory has given Alaves a four-point cushion over 18th-placed Leganes, with only two matches remaining against Valladolid and Osasuna.

El Glorioso can lock in a third consecutive La Liga season with a win over Valladolid on Sunday, and they might even secure safety without a victory, depending on Leganes’ result in their away game against relegated Las Palmas.

Eduardo Coudet’s side has found it tough to secure victories away from home, but they’ve managed to avoid defeat in five of their last six away matches (four draws, one loss), with their only defeat in that run coming in their latest road game against Athletic Bilbao.

The visitors can take confidence from their strong record in top-flight away games against Valladolid, having won four of their last five visits to Estadio Jose Zorrilla, including a 2-0 triumph in their most recent trip there in October 2020.