As the 2025/2026
La Liga season winds down,
Real Oviedo and
Alaves are locked in a gritty scrap at the bottom of the table. They're both staring relegation in the face, and this clash on May 17 could make or break their campaigns.
Oviedo have shown flashes of resilience lately. They battled to a 0-0 draw against
Getafe just a week ago, and before that, they pulled off a convincing 3-0 win over Celta back in April. Add in that hard-fought 1-0 victory against
Sevilla, and you've got a team that's picked up points when it mattered most. I reckon that's enough to give them a bit of edge here—they're not rolling over easily.
Alaves, on the other hand, are stumbling into this one. Their most recent outing ended in a 1-1 stalemate with
Elche, which doesn't scream momentum. But don't count them out; they've got the experience to grind out results in these pressure cookers.
Looking back, these two sides met earlier in the season on January 4, finishing with a 1-1 draw. That deadlock might set the tone for more of the same, especially with both teams treading water in the standings. Oviedo sit in 20th on 29 points after 35 games, while Alaves hover around 18th or 19th. It's a relegation dogfight, plain and simple, and neither can afford slip-ups.
Injuries are hitting hard, though. Oviedo will miss Javi Lopez and Kwasi Sibo due to suspensions, and they've got Jaime Vazquez sidelined with a groin issue, plus Eric Bailly nursing a nose injury and David Costas dealing with muscle trouble. That thins their options considerably. Alaves aren't in better shape—Lucas Boyé's out with a hamstring problem, Facundo Garcés is suspended, and Toni Martinez and Jon Guridi are both doubtful because of muscle injuries. C. Aleñá's walking a tightrope with suspension risk, which could leave them exposed.
Keep an eye on a couple of standout players. For Oviedo, Federico Viñas leads the charge with 9 goals, and he's backed by Ilyas Chaira and Alberto Reina in the scoring department. Alaves rely on Lucas Boyé's 11 goals, even if he's absent, with Toni Martinez chipping in the same tally and Carlos Vicente adding some spark.
This isn't a derby or anything flashy; it's pure survival mode. Expect a tense, low-key affair where defense dominates. Oviedo should edge it based on their recent wins, but Alaves won't go down without a fight.
Now, for the bets, I'm going with what the data suggests—tight games and key absences.
Recommended Bets
Bet 1 @1.90 — Draw, given their even head-to-head and recent draws for both sides.
Bet 2 @2.10 — Under 2.5 goals, as Oviedo's last three matches have been low-scoring and Alaves' injuries limit their attack.
Bet 3 @3.50 — Federico Viñas to score anytime, he's Oviedo's top scorer and could capitalize on Alaves' defensive woes.
Odds tend to shorten closer to kickoff — lock in value now.
HOME_PLAYER: Federico Viñas
HOME_LOOK: not found in search
AWAY_PLAYER: Lucas Boyé
AWAY_LOOK: not found in search
