Deportivo Alavés - Villarreal CF tickets for LaLiga match at Mendizorrotza Stadium in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

Deportivo Alavés - Villarreal CF: guide to matchday three at Mendizorrotza

Deportivo Alavés welcomes Villarreal CF in a match that already brings an interesting contrast at the beginning of the season. The home side collected four points from the first two rounds, first with a convincing 3-0 victory against Getafe CF, and then with a 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano. Villarreal opened the season with a 2-2 draw away at R. Racing Club after coming back from two goals down, and before the trip to Vitoria-Gasteiz it still has an away match against Atlético de Madrid.

For that reason, it is important to view this match as an early snapshot of two different stories. Alavés under Quique Sánchez Flores is trying to confirm that last season's fight to avoid relegation can develop into a more stable year. Villarreal finished the previous league season among the leading teams and enters the new campaign with the ambition of remaining among Europe's top sides, but now under new coach Iñigo Pérez.

Tickets for this match are in demand among supporters. Mendizorrotza is a compact stadium, and the home victory in the first round immediately raised expectations ahead of the next appearance in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Alavés has opened the season with results and without panic

The first 180 minutes showed why Alavés can be an awkward opponent when the match remains within the framework it wants. Against Getafe CF, the team kept a clean sheet and turned an evenly balanced contest into a 3-0 victory in the closing stages. Nahuel Tenaglia opened the scoring against the visitors, while Mariano Díaz and Mikel Rodríguez finished the match off in stoppage time.

The second round brought a different test. Rayo Vallecano took the lead early in the second half, but Alavés did not lose its structure. Mariano capitalized on a mistake by the home defense in the 84th minute and scored his second goal in the first two league matches. That detail is important ahead of Villarreal: Alavés is not currently dependent on only one type of scenario. In the first match it broke down the opponent with late goals, while in the second it had to chase the result itself.

Quique Sánchez Flores retained a defensive base with three center-backs and five players in the central and wide areas in both opening rounds. This is not merely a defensive setup. With the wide players positioned high, Antonio Blanco, Denis Suárez and Pablo Ibáñez can close down the middle, while the forwards receive support from deeper positions. Against Villarreal's technically strong midfield, the biggest challenge will be deciding when to press high and when to drop the block and close the space between the lines.

Mariano deserves particular attention. Two goals in the opening two rounds are not enough for major conclusions about the season, but they show that Alavés currently has a striker who takes advantage of short periods of chaos in the penalty area. Toni Martínez and Lucas Boyé offer a different profile, with more duels and back-to-goal play, so the home side has several ways to attack Villarreal's center-backs.

What is currently known about Alavés player availability

Before the start of the season Lucas Boyé had problems with his adductor, while Carlos Protesoni had a knee issue. Boyé was nevertheless fit enough to play against Rayo, while Nicolás Valentini, after missing the first round through suspension, was available again in the second round. There is therefore no basis for creating a long list of definite absentees for the third round in advance. The condition of the squad should be checked again immediately before the match.

• Mariano Díaz: a goal against Getafe CF and a goal against Rayo Vallecano.
• Nahuel Tenaglia: scorer of Alavés's first league goal of the season.
• Antonio Blanco: an important figure in controlling midfield and playing the first pass.
• Denis Suárez: brings composure on the ball and the ability to attack through central areas.
• Lucas Boyé and Toni Martínez: options for a more physically demanding attacking plan.

Villarreal changes coach, but not its level of ambition

Villarreal's biggest summer change did not take place in the dressing room but on the bench. Following the departure of Marcelino García Toral, Iñigo Pérez took charge of the team. The club gave him a contract until 2029, and his task is to keep Villarreal among the teams capable of handling the rhythm of multiple competitions.

The first round showed both the quality and the risk of that process. Villarreal fell 0-2 behind away at Racing, but came back thanks to Pape Gueye and Nicolas Pépé, who scored within a short spell around half-time. A 2-2 draw is not an ideal start for a team with such ambitions, but the reaction shows that Villarreal still has enough individual quality to change a match within a few attacks.

The basic setup at the start of the season is 4-4-2. Pape Gueye and Santi Comesaña form a strong central axis, while Alberto Moleiro and Nicolas Pépé offer progression from the flanks and runs toward the middle. In attack Iñigo Pérez can choose between players such as Ayoze Pérez, George Mikautadze and Gerard Moreno. That is a large number of technically high-quality solutions, particularly against a defense that occasionally drops deep.

For Alavés, the key will be defending the space in front of its own back line. If Villarreal manages to force the home midfielders to retreat toward the penalty area, a zone will open up for the second wave of attacks. If Alavés instead manages to direct play toward the touchline and create numerical balance there, the visitors will have to send in crosses more frequently against the physically strong home block.

Villarreal plays Atlético de Madrid before Mendizorrotza. This means that form, minutes played and possible injuries may change after this guide. Ahead of the first round, Iñigo Pérez had a very broad squad without a major list of unavailable players, but the final picture for Vitoria-Gasteiz should be assessed after that match.

Head-to-head meetings warn Villarreal about Mendizorrotza

Mendizorrotza has not been a pleasant place for Villarreal in recent league meetings. In March 2025 Alavés won 1-0 at home, and a year later it led for almost the entire match before Nicolas Pépé scored deep into stoppage time to make it 1-1.

Those two results guarantee nothing in the new season, especially with the changes on Villarreal's bench, but they show a pattern worth keeping in mind: Alavés knows how to turn a match against a technically stronger opponent into a series of physical duels, set pieces and battles for the second ball.

• 13.03.2026: Deportivo Alavés 1-1 Villarreal CF.
• 08.03.2025: Deportivo Alavés 1-0 Villarreal CF.
• 09.11.2024: Villarreal CF 3-0 Deportivo Alavés.

The meeting from March 2026 is particularly interesting. Alavés took the lead through a Rafa Marín own goal in the first half, while Villarreal equalized only in the final seconds through Pépé. For the home side, it is a reminder that a match against Villarreal must not be considered mentally finished too early. For the visitors, it is confirmation that they have forwards who can remain dangerous even when the game plan does not work for a long time.

Tactical duel: the home block against the visitors' width

The most interesting detail could be the relationship between Alavés's wide players and Villarreal's wingers. In a 3-5-2, the home side has to decide how high it can position its wide players. If it pushes them forward, it can force Villarreal to defend deeper and create space for crosses toward the two strikers. If it loses the ball in that phase, space is left behind them for Pépé, Moleiro and quick supporting runs from the visiting forwards.

The second point is the midfield battle. Villarreal has players who can retain the ball under pressure, but Alavés does not necessarily need long periods of possession to be dangerous. Against Getafe CF it showed that it can wait for the right moment and finish a match strongly. Against Rayo it showed that it can increase the risk when it has to search for an equalizer.

That is why the first goal could strongly determine the rhythm. If Alavés takes the lead, the stadium will push the home side toward a tighter block and more direct breaks. If Villarreal takes the lead, Quique Sánchez Flores will have to open the flanks earlier and send more players into the final third, and that is precisely when Villarreal gains space for transitions.

It is worth securing tickets in time, especially for supporters who want to experience the match close to the pitch. Mendizorrotza has fewer than 20,000 seats and, because of its compact geometry, there is not much distance between the action and the stands.

Mendizorrotza: a small stadium where the match feels close to the pitch

Mendizorrotza is one of the recognizable old stadiums of Spanish football. It opened in 1924, and after a major reconstruction in the late 1990s its capacity was increased to 19,840 spectators. The stands are enclosed around the pitch and covered, so the sound remains concentrated in a relatively small space.

The first home match of the new season against Getafe CF attracted 13,923 spectators. That is a good indication that strong attendance can also be expected against Villarreal, an opponent that has regularly been part of the European football context in recent years.

The stadium's address is Paseo de Cervantes, in the southern part of Vitoria-Gasteiz, next to the large Mendizorrotza sports complex. For visitors arriving earlier, the wider city center and medieval quarter offer enough attractions for several hours before the match. The old town preserves much of its medieval street layout, and its best-known sights include Catedral de Santa María, the city walls and historic palaces.

Getting to the stadium and parking

The most important practical change for drivers has been in effect since the 2025/26 season. The Mendizorrotza surface parking area at Plaza Amadeo García de Salazar closes during football matches for safety reasons. The parking ban takes effect four hours before kick-off and is lifted approximately one hour after the end of the match. The nearby Mendizabala parking area is listed as the main alternative.

• Mendizorrotza parking should not be planned as a standard place to leave a car on matchday.
• Mendizabala is the main nearby alternative and has around 1,000 spaces.
• The city's BEI and several TUVISA lines stop within a short distance of the stadium.
• Buses and taxis retain their usual stops on Salbatierrabide street.
• Streets around the stadium are gradually closed to traffic as kick-off approaches, so arriving earlier is more practical.

The city's traffic measures provide for part of Paseo de Cervantes to close two hours before kick-off, while additional surrounding streets close 45 minutes before the match. This is more important than searching for the last available parking space next to the stadium. Visiting supporters arriving on organized buses have a special passenger drop-off and pick-up system under traffic control.

The exact opening time of the entrances for this match had not been confirmed in the sources used for the guide, so it would make no sense to invent it. It is more practical to arrive in the stadium area sufficiently early, especially because of street closures and entrance checks.

What to check immediately before traveling

There is an important difference between the initial matchday calendar and the subsequently published match time. In the calendar, the Deportivo Alavés - Villarreal CF fixture is placed on the weekend of the third round, while the clubs' current schedules at the time of checking list Friday, 28 August, at 21:30 local time. Because of this change, supporters planning to travel should check the kick-off time again immediately before departure.

The second thing to check is the condition of the squad after Villarreal's match against Atlético de Madrid. That fixture comes before the trip to Vitoria-Gasteiz and may affect the selection of the starting lineup, player freshness and possible absences.

The third is traffic around the stadium. The closure of the Mendizorrotza parking area and gradual traffic restrictions are not occasional recommendations, but part of the system the city applies to football matches. Anyone arriving by car should have a backup option, while those using public transport can avoid most of that problem.

Ticket sales for this match are under way. For a supporter who wants to combine football with a short stay in the city, the best plan is to set aside time for central Vitoria-Gasteiz before the match and then head toward Mendizorrotza early without relying on parking immediately next to the stadium.

Sources:
- LALIGA - matchday 3 schedule, Deportivo Alavés and Villarreal results, lineups and statistics from previous head-to-head matches.
- Deportivo Alavés - report from the match against Rayo Vallecano, information about the coach and the current squad.
- Villarreal CF - first-team schedule, appointment of Iñigo Pérez and information about the coaching staff and the start of the season.
- Ayuntamiento de Vitoria-Gasteiz - closure of Mendizorrotza parking, traffic restrictions, the Mendizabala alternative and public transport options.
- Turismo de Vitoria-Gasteiz - information about the medieval quarter and city landmarks.
- AS - squad previews for the 2026/27 season and information about player availability ahead of the start of the league.