Valencia C. F. – Alavés: Squad lists and Quique Sánchez Flores’ debut remain unresolved

Sunday at 9: 00 p. m. ET, valencia c. f. – alavés will be played at Mestalla, with Valencia coach Carlos Corberán confirming one roster change while Alavés’ official call-up list is still pending. The clearest remaining question is which Alavés players are officially available, a point expected to be resolved when the club releases its definitive list Sunday morning.

Carlos Corberán confirms Saravia returns as Lucas Beltrán remains out

Valencia coach Carlos Corberán addressed the matchup in a pregame news conference for Sunday’s game at Mestalla, scheduled for 9: 00 p. m. ET. Corberán confirmed Renzo Saravia will return to the squad compared with Valencia’s previous match.

Still, Corberán also confirmed Lucas Beltrán will not be available because he has not yet recovered from physical discomfort. Corberán said Beltrán has not overcome issues tied to the patellar tendon, and he expressed hope the forward can return next week if his condition improves.

Beyond the personnel updates, Corberán said Valencia’s focus is on continuing the team’s strong second-half form and attempting to connect two consecutive wins, while acknowledging the significance of playing at Mestalla.

Quique Sánchez Flores’ first Alavés match at Mestalla comes with open lineup questions

For Quique Sánchez Flores, Sunday’s trip to Mestalla carries a personal milestone as well as a coaching one. He is set to return to Mestalla for what was described as the 253rd time he will step onto that field in games he has played or coached there, spanning his history with Valencia as both a player and a coach, plus additional visits as a rival.

Yet the immediate competitive picture for Alavés includes multiple unresolved details. As of the team’s arrival in Valencia, Alavés had not released an official squad list. Club communications indicated the definitive list is expected Sunday morning, leaving uncertainty over exactly who is available for Quique Sánchez Flores’ first match in charge.

One of the most watched decisions involves Mariano, who could return to a call-up after three months out following a disagreement with former coach Eduardo “Chacho” Coudet. Mariano’s inclusion remained unconfirmed as of the time Alavés landed in Manises without an official list, and the club’s planned Sunday-morning announcement is the specific trigger expected to settle it.

Alavés’ pending call-up list is the key trigger before valencia c. f. – alavés kickoff

Alavés traveled to Valencia on a private charter departing at 7: 00 p. m. local time (1: 00 p. m. ET), and when the team arrived at Manises, the club had still not issued the official call-up. That absence of a confirmed list creates practical uncertainty around the matchday options for the new staff, including whether Mariano is available and how many players are carrying fitness limitations.

Some availability constraints were described as already known: Facundo Garcés was said to be sanctioned again by FIFA, while Parada and Pablo Ibáñez were described as injured. Diabate and Koski were described as not yet in full form, with the expectation that they will gradually be integrated back into competitive rhythm. Even so, the final determination of who is in the squad remains unconfirmed until the club releases the definitive list Sunday morning.

Separately, the likely tactical and selection approach under Quique Sánchez Flores was described cautiously: the expectation presented was that he may not change the team drastically right away, and that his influence could be applied progressively over subsequent weeks. That view is consistent with Corberán’s separate assessment that, in only a few days, it is difficult for an incoming coach to make major changes because the players remain the same.

Alavés’ possible on-field choices were laid out as a tentative scenario rather than a confirmed plan: Sivera was presented as a possible goalkeeper; the defense named was Otto, Tenaglia, Pacheco and Yusi; midfield options included Antonio Blanco and Denis Suárez; wide roles mentioned were Ángel Pérez and Carles Aleñá; and a two-forward setup cited Toni Martínez and Lucas Boyé. Those specifics remain unconfirmed as of the latest pregame reporting because they depend on the final call-up and the coach’s matchday decisions.

The confirmed next event that will move the story is Alavés’ planned release of its definitive squad list Sunday morning (time not specified). If Mariano is confirmed in that list, he is expected to be available as an option for selection by kickoff at 9: 00 p. m. ET.