Alaves return to Mendizorroza off the back of a confident 3-0 home win, with Quique Sanchez Flores setting up in a compact 5-3-2 that has conceded only one goal all season. Villarreal are yet to win but have shared eight goals across two chaotic draws, leaking twice per game whil…
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Sign inAlaves host Villarreal on matchweek three of the 2026-27 La Liga season on Thursday, August 28, aiming to build on an encouraging start against a Yellow Submarine side still fine-tuning under new management.
Alaves head coach will welcome back central defender Nicolás Valentini, who has now served the suspension that carried over from his time in Serie A. The Argentine is set to slot into the back three alongside Nahuel Tenaglia and Jonny Otto after missing the opening fortnight. Lucas Boyé remains a doubt with an adductor issue, while Facundo Garcés sits out through a disciplinary ban.
The main selection question is whether Mariano Díaz gets his first start. The former Real Madrid forward came off the bench against Getafe on the opening weekend and transformed the game with a goal and an assist in a 3-0 victory. He is pushing Toni Martínez for a place in a front two that also features Aitor Mañas. Antonio Sivera is expected to continue in goal behind a midfield anchored by Antonio Blanco and Denis Suárez.
Villarreal receive a timely boost with the return of Alassane Diatta. The Senegalese talent missed the first two matchdays through suspension after a red card at the end of last season and is eligible for this trip. Sergi Cardona remains sidelined with injury, but Gerard Moreno has no confirmed absence and could feature. Manager Iñigo Pérez, who took over following a successful spell at Rayo Vallecano, is likely to stick with the 4-4-2 shape that saw Luiz Júnior in goal, a back four of Santiago Mouriño, Juan Foyth, Renato Veiga and Carlos Romero, and a front pairing of Ayoze Pérez and Georges Mikautadze. Nicolás Pépé and Alberto Moleiro provide width.
Alaves opened their campaign with a commanding 3-0 win at Getafe. All three goals came after the hosts went down to ten men, yet the manner in which Alaves exploited the extra space suggested a side with a clear attacking plan. Mariano Díaz’s impact from the bench was the headline, but the team also showed defensive discipline during the first hour, limiting Getafe to few clear chances. A second-round trip to Rayo Vallecano followed; the outcome of that match is not known at the time of writing, but Alaves took three points from matchday one and will feel confident in front of their own supporters.
Villarreal began life under Iñigo Pérez with a 2-2 home draw against newly promoted Racing Santander on the opening Sunday. The Yellow Submarine fell two goals behind before fighting back to earn a point, a result that highlighted both their attacking threat and their early defensive vulnerabilities. Since then they have travelled to Atlético Madrid for a demanding Sunday contest. With a short turnaround and the physical toll of that trip to the capital, Pérez may have to manage his squad carefully. The summer saw major turnover: Dani Parejo, Thomas Partey, Rafa Marín and Alfonso Pedraza all left the club, while goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi arrived from RB Leipzig and Carlos Romero returned permanently from Espanyol.
Alaves will look to protect the space in front of their own penalty area and funnel play towards the touchline. If Antonio Blanco and Denis Suárez can prevent Villarreal’s central midfielders from advancing, it will force the visitors to swing crosses into a physically strong home block. However, if Pape Gueye and Santi Comesaña manage to draw the Alaves midfield deep, it will open up room for a second wave of runners such as Nicolás Pépé or Alberto Moleiro. The last meeting between these sides in March 2026 saw Alaves lead through a Rafa Marín own goal before Pépé snatched a late equaliser in the final seconds, underlining how dangerous Villarreal can be even when the game plan is not clicking.
Villarreal carry memories of that late drama, while Alaves will be determined to manage the contest better this time. An early home goal could force the visitors to commit numbers forward, playing into the counter-attacking strengths of Mariano Díaz and Toni Martínez.
A positive result for Alaves would maintain their strong start before the first international break; for Villarreal, taking something from a tricky away fixture would provide a welcome platform after a challenging opening stretch.
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