Alavés Vs Villarreal: Champions League and survival stakes
Alavés Vs Villarreal opens LaLiga’s jornada 28 at Mendizorroza with Quique Sánchez Flores making his home debut for Deportivo Alavés while Villarreal chase a Champions League spot and Alavés fight to avoid relegation. Team lists and availability — from FIFA suspensions of Facundo Garcés to Villarreal’s first call-up this season for Willy Kambwala — frame how both coaches must shape tactics for this decisive fixture.
Alavés Vs Villarreal lineups
Confirmed selections name Sivera in goal for Alavés, with Ángel, Jonny, Tenaglia and Víctor Parada or Ville Koski covering the backline, Pablo Ibáñez joining Antonio Blanco and Carles Aleñá in midfield, and Lucas Boyé with Toni Martínez leading the attack. Villarreal’s named XI includes Luiz Júnior in goal, Mouriño and Pau Navarro among the defenders and Nicolas Pepe with Mikautadze up front; midfielders listed for Villarreal include Comesaña, Pape Gueye and Buchanan. The pattern suggests both coaches have picked lineups that reflect immediate availability constraints and the specific demands each stadium and opponent present.
Quique Sánchez Flores debut
Quique Sánchez Flores makes his Mendizorroza debut having already managed one match for Alavés, and the squad enters the game hampered by suspensions and an early injury: Facundo Garcés is suspended by FIFA, Jon Pacheco and Ander Guevara were sent off last match, and Carlos Protesoni left injured before half time. Still, the club has recovered Víctor Parada and Pablo Ibáñez as candidates to start, and winter signing Ville Koski is available after recovering from his own injury. The pattern suggests Quique must adapt his tactical plan from his Mestalla debut to cope with a slimmer pool of central defenders and limited height in the back three.
Marcelino’s prematch comments on Alavés
Marcelino framed the trip as tactically demanding, noting Alavés’ intensity, changes after a coaching switch and the danger of a side fighting relegation; he also highlighted squad management choices and showed caution over Pau Navarro’s fitness and Gerard Moreno’s potential place on the bench. Villarreal travel seeking to secure a top-four place: they sit fourth tied on points with Atlético and lead Real Betis by eleven points with eleven matchdays remaining, while the team has failed to win in four of its last five away games. The figures point to a Villarreal side balancing Champions League ambitions with clear doubts over personnel availability and rotation.
What remains open is whether Gerard Moreno will start in Vitoria: Marcelino described Moreno as a doubt for the eleven, and Pau Navarro’s late physical issue also leaves selection uncertain. If Marcelino names Moreno in the starting XI, the data in the squad lists suggests Villarreal will prioritise attacking experience to press for an early advantage at Mendizorroza.
