Line-ups, stats and preview in La Liga

Coudet said: “I knew I’d be asked more about our opponents than about Alaves… it’s not my place to comment on that, but Real Madrid are very prestigious opponents and they have a manager who’s earned his position for a reason. It will be very difficult because they have a lot of resources, but we will try to maintain our style and take the initiative.

“I enjoy playing these matches – facing the best – and I don’t focus on their form, nor on their injuries. Anyone who plays for Real Madrid is very good and, to beat them, we’ll need a great performance. It makes for more complex matches than usual.”

Alaves v Madrid team news

Madrid have serious issues, particularly in defence with David Alaba, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga and Trent Alexander-Arnold all injured. Fran García, Endrick and Álvaro Carreras are suspended.

Dean Huijsen trained yesterday and is expected to be fit. Kylian Mbappe, who didn’t feature against City in midweek, is included in the squad but his participation will be a late call.

Alaves centre-back Facundo Garces was suspended for 12 months by FIFA in November over alleged document forgery.

Former Barcelona midfielder Carles Alena, who came on as a substitute in the 1-0 derby win at home to Sociedad on Saturday, has recovered from a virus.

Alaves v Real Madrid predicted starting lineups

Alaves starting XI: Antonio Sivera, Jonny, Nahuel Tenaglia, Jon Pacheco, Victor Parada, Calebe, Pablo Ibanez, Ander Guevara, Denis Suarez, Abde Rebbach, Lucas Boye

Real Madrid starting XI: Thibaut Courtois; Federico Valverde, Dean Huijsen, Antonio Rudiger, Raul Asencio; Aurelien Tchouameni, Dani Ceballos, Jude Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr, Gonzalo Garcia

How to watch Alaves v Madrid: TV channel, live online stream

Kick-off on Sunday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), with live coverage in the UK on Premier Sports 1 and streaming available on a vast range of devices via the Premier Sports app.

A Premier Sports subscription costs £120 a year, £11.99 per month on a 12-month contract or £16.99 per month with 30 days’ cancellation notice required.

Alaves v Real Madrid stats

• Alaves have taken 14 of their 18 Liga points at home this season, including 10 of their last 15 available at the Mendizorrotza Stadium
• Getafe (14.1) are the sole team to have a lower expected goals against total than El Glorioso (15) in this season’s Liga
• Only Madrid (7) and Barcelona (5) have been awarded more penalties in the 2025/26 division than Alaves, who have converted all of theirs to ensure only Los Blancos (5) have scored more from the spot
• Coudet’s team have made the fourth-most combined tackles and interceptions in this season’s top flight, behind Sevilla (399), Madrid (400) and Villarreal (402)
• Since the start of the Liga season, Alaves have won the second-most aerial duels (257, behind Osasuna on 265). They have also lost the third-most (246, with Espanyol on 262 and Getafe on 306)
• Mbappe’s 16 league goals for Madrid make the France captain the leading marksman in La Liga, immediately above Barcelona’s Ferran Torres, who has eight
• Mbappe’s four Liga assists mean he has seven more direct Liga goal involvements than the second-most prolific player in that respect, Barca’s Lamine Yamal (who has six goals and seven assists)
• Vinicius Junior (5) is the only other player to have scored more than four goals during Madrid’s opening 16 league matches of the season
• Madrid have the highest completion percentage of short (93.5%), medium (91.6%) and long (64.4%) passes in the 2025/26 division
• They have made the most tackles (57) of any team in this season’s Liga in the attacking third, with Barcelona second on 49