Alavés vs Athletic Club Prediction – La Liga May 2026

Deportivo Alavés welcome Athletic Club to Estadio de Mendizorroza on May 2, 2026, in what looks set to be one of the more intriguing La Liga Round 34 contests. While the hosts carry genuine home advantage, the confirmed Athletic Club lineup is loaded with quality that could prove decisive. Alavés arrive in decent home form, having beaten Mallorca 2-1 last time out at Mendizorroza. Their last five matches (W-L-D-D-W) indicate a side that can be competitive but not consistently so. A 3-3 draw at Real Sociedad and a wild 3-4 win at Celta show an attacking-minded team that is capable of both scoring and conceding freely. For Athletic Club, the form is similarly inconsistent — their last four results alternate between wins and losses. Their 2-0 away defeat at Getafe on April 5 is a red flag, suggesting vulnerability when teams press them on the road. Alavés, under their compact and energetic setup, could exploit this. But the confirmed lineups change the calculus. Athletic's starting XI is exceptional: Nico Williams and Iñaki Williams on either flank, Gorka Guruzeta through the middle, and Unai Simón commanding the net. The Williams brothers are arguably the most electric wide pairing in La Liga this season, and their presence alone makes Athletic heavy qualitative favorites. Alavés' defensive unit — Tenaglia, Parada, Jonny Otto, and Ángel Pérez — will need a near-perfect performance to keep them quiet. For Alavés, Carles Aleñá provides creative intelligence from midfield, while Abde Rebbach's direct running could trouble Athletic's full-backs. Ibrahim Diabaté will work tirelessly as the attacking reference point. The home side will need to be compact, fast on transitions, and clinical when chances arrive. The prediction is a narrow Athletic Club victory, 2-1, with both teams scoring. Alavés' home spirit may earn them a goal, but Athletic's individual quality should ultimately be the difference. Away win probability: 47%. Draw: 25%. Home win: 28%.