alavés – villarreal arrives at a decisive moment in LaLiga EA Sports, with both clubs tying their immediate objectives to the same Friday night in Mendizorroza. It is Quique Sánchez Flores’ home debut with Deportivo Alavés in the opening match of matchday 28, while Villarreal travel seeking to protect a Champions League position and sustain pressure in the race near the top.
What happens when Alavés – Villarreal tests Quique Sánchez Flores’ first home plan?
Quique Sánchez Flores takes charge of his second match at the helm of Alavés, returning to their home ground after a loss at Mestalla that turned late despite the team having the game under control. The situation remains tight: Alavés sit outside the relegation zone with a two-point cushion, and the need to add points has sharpened as direct rivals have continued to collect results.
The coach’s intention is to sustain the ideas introduced in Valencia, but the availability picture could shape everything. Alavés face multiple absences: Facundo Garcés is out due to a FIFA sanction, Jon Pacheco and Ander Guevara are suspended after being sent off last match, and Carlos Protesoni is injured after lasting no more than half an hour. Against that, Alavés regain Víctor Parada and Pablo Ibáñez, both candidates to enter the starting XI.
Defensive selection is a key pressure point. With a shortage of natural central defenders, Ville Koski—signed in the winter window and recently recovered from injury—could debut. The lack of height is framed as a possible handicap in the back line, while the likely options include Parada, Tenaglia and Otto, with Yusi and Ángel in the wide roles. In midfield, Ibáñez is positioned to partner Antonio Blanco and Carles Aleñá. Up front, the likely pairing is Lucas Boyé and Toni Martínez. Alavés bring a run of five matches without a win, including three at home, into a fixture where they also lean on a trend: Villarreal have not won in Vitoria in their last four visits.
What if Villarreal’s Champions League push hinges on translating home form away from home?
Villarreal arrive in Vitoria with a clear priority: secure their Champions League place as early as possible, then see how far the run can go. The table context is explicit. Villarreal are fourth with 54 points, level with Atlético, and hold a significant cushion over their closest chaser Real Betis—an advantage described as 11 points with 11 matchdays remaining.
Yet the immediate challenge is not only the opponent, but the split between home and away performance. Villarreal aim to carry their strong home momentum into away fixtures, having failed to win in four of their last five away outings. Mendizorroza also carries its own recent history for the visitors, who have not won there across their last four trips.
In team news, one notable return stands out: French defender Willy Kambwala is included in the squad for the first time this season after receiving medical clearance this week, following surgery last summer on a hamstring injury in his left leg. Villarreal still have injuries that keep Logan Costa, Ayoze Pérez and Juan Foyth out for the week. Selection uncertainties include whether Gerard Moreno starts or remains on the bench, and the status of Pau Navarro, who had to leave the pitch against Elche with physical problems; tests did not show an injury, but coach Marcelino García Toral expressed caution about his availability.
Projected lineups listed for the match place Luiz Júnior in goal for Villarreal with Mouriño, Pau Navarro, Renato Veiga and Cardona in defense; Comesaña and Pape Gueye in midfield; Buchanan and Moleiro supporting an attack featuring Nicolas Pepe and Mikautadze. For Alavés, the listed shape includes Sivera; Ángel, Jonny, Tenaglia, Parada, and Yusi or Koski; Blanco, Ibáñez, Aleñá; with Toni and Lucas Boyé ahead.
What happens when Marcelino frames the stakes as margin, mindset, and a difficult ground?
Marcelino García Toral uses the run-in—11 matchdays remaining—to set the emotional and practical tone. He has stressed the importance of focusing internally: reinforcing what Villarreal do well and improving what they do less well, rather than looking for outside help from other results. He has also spoken openly about the mental and physical load associated with Champions League participation, while highlighting Villarreal’s current points total and their gap to the chasing pack as evidence of the season’s scale.
There is also a personal milestone in view: the match offers Marcelino the chance to reach 100 top-flight wins with Villarreal. Still, the messaging prioritizes the collective task and the difficulty of the venue, with the coach describing Mendizorroza as a complicated stadium for his side and acknowledging that they have gone many seasons without winning there.
In the same framing, the coaching change at Alavés is treated as an added variable. The arrival of Quique Sánchez Flores brings a new style, and that uncertainty intersects with Alavés’ urgency near the relegation line and Villarreal’s aim to lock down a Champions League place quickly.
The match is scheduled for Friday at 9: 00 p. m. local time in Vitoria, and it opens matchday 28 of LaLiga EA Sports.
