Preview: Alaves-Valencia

Second-from-bottom meets second-from-top in La Liga as Alaves look to stun Valencia on Saturday.

Alaves boss Gianni De Biasi on not taking a draw: “It’ll be a performance from a team that fight and work for 95 minutes.

“Valencia are very strong opponents, with very good players, but that’s why it’ll be a challenge and one I like as the best team don’t always win in football.

“We’ll try to take advantage of their few weaknesses and the ‘Mendi’ factor.”

Valencia boss Marcelino on losing Dani Parejo to suspension: “Losing Parejo means losing a very important player in every sense, during the game and before it, but it also makes us believe in other players.

“We need everyone’s help so that his absence is felt as little as possible. We won’t replace him with a like-for-like player, but we’ll still try to be competitive.”

Alaves (probable): Pacheco; Vigaray, Alexis, Maripan, Ely, Pedraza; Manu, Dani Torres, Wakaso; Christian Santos, Munir

Injuries/suspensions: Hector, Laguardia (I)

Valencia (probable): Neto; Montoya, Garay, Murillo, Gaya; Guedes, Soler, Kondogbia, Andreas; Zaza, Rodrigo

Injuries/suspensions: Javi Jimenez (I) Parejo (S)

Referee: Gonzalez Gonzalez

Form guide: Alaves – 19th (L L W L L) Valencia – 2nd (W W W W W)

Previous meeting: Alaves 2-1 Valencia

Venue: Mendizorroza

Kick-off time: 12:00 BST/13:00 local time

La Liga - Club News