- 1 Deportivo Alaves vs Villarreal: four points to two, and a memory from 2020
- 2 Deportivo Alaves: four goals scored, one conceded
- 3 Villarreal: two straight 2-2 draws and a back line already leaking four
- 4 La Liga prediction Deportivo Alaves vs Villarreal
- 5 First, a word on our free picks
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information that can change
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Deportivo Alaves vs Villarreal: four points to two, and a memory from 2020 
Villarreal return to Mendizorroza this Friday, August 28 at 21:30 to kick off round 3 in La Liga. Its a tricky trip: the Yellow Submarine has not won there since January 2020 and is still chasing its first victory of the season.
The opening weeks have flipped the script. Third last season and Champions League bound, Villarreal have stumbled to two draws from two games, leaving them 9th and still searching for defensive balance.
Alaves, 14th in the spring and stuck near the bottom since returning to the top flight in 2023, have made a far more convincing start with four points from six.
The head-to-head record tells a similar story, with 16 wins for the Basque side and 14 for the Yellow Submarine.
In front of their own fans in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Alaves have a real chance against a Villarreal side that still looks fragile at the back.
Deportivo Alaves: four goals scored, one conceded 
Alaves began the season with a clear-cut 3-0 win over Getafe on August 15 in front of 13 923 spectators. Facundo Tenaglia scored in the 73rd minute, Mariano Diaz in the 90th+2.
The trip to Vallecas on August 20 ended 1-1. Diaz struck again in the 84th minute after Sergio Camello had opened the scoring.
Four goals scored, one conceded: the Basque club’s numbers are the third best in the division after two rounds. Only Real Madrid, Sevilla and Betis sit above them.
Mariano Diaz is the face of the hot start. The 33-year-old has scored both of his goals off the bench, which makes a case for starting him on Friday.
Quique Sanchez Flores has almost a full squad available for this home game. Only Tomas Mendes remains out, still serving a suspension.
The club brought in four players this summer, with Miguel Rodriguez, Nicolas Valentini, Ville Koski and Mikel Rodriguez all arriving. Koski is expected to line up in central defence against Villarreal.
Antonio Blanco should keep his spot in midfield, where he handles the first phase of build-up. His presence lets Alaves keep the ball without dropping deep every time.
The Basques’ biggest weapon is their knack for scoring late in games. Their last two goals came in the 84th minute and the 90th+2.
That sort of finishing changes how the game is read. Villarreal cant afford to simply sit on an advantage.
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Villarreal: two straight 2-2 draws and a back line already leaking four 
Villarreal opened with a 2-2 draw at Racing Santander on August 16. Alassane Gueye levelled in the 45th minute and Pepe added another almost immediately, in the 45th+1.
The second match produced exactly the same scoreline, this time away to Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano. Gerard Moreno scored from the spot in the 65th minute, and Georges Mikautadze did the same in the 76th.
Two points from two games, four goals scored and four conceded: the attack is doing its job, the defence very much less so. Thats the big issue for Inigo Perez.
That return sits badly alongside last season’s third-place finish. The club are in the Champions League and the pressure to get back into the top four is real.
The summer business was modest, with only two new arrivals. Nathan Saliba, a 22-year-old midfielder, joined from Anderlecht in summer 2026 and could make his debut on Friday.
The return of Alassane Diatta to the squad gives the coach another option. Villarreal should have a full group for this trip.
Gerard Moreno, who scored off the bench against Atletico, is pushing for a place in the starting XI. He would join Mikautadze up front, with Ayoze Perez possibly making way.
The Moreno-Mikautadze partnership gives Villarreal two different kinds of finisher, one to attack the box and one to drop off. The Valencia club have scored at least twice in both of their matches so far.
Then theres the long-standing frustration at Mendizorroza, where they have not won since January 2020. With the back line looking so shaky, an immediate turnaround does not feel likely.
Probable Deportivo Alaves line-up: Sivera; Perez, Tenaglia, Koski, Otto, Rebbach; Ibanez, Blanco, Rodriguez; Boye, Diaz
Probable Villarreal line-up: Luiz Junior; Mourino, Foyth, Veiga, Romero; Pepe, Comesana, Gueye, Moleiro; Mikautadze, G. Moreno
La Liga prediction Deportivo Alaves vs Villarreal
Our pick: Both teams to score
Villarreal have shipped two goals in each of their first two league matches, at Santander and then in Madrid. Their defence has not put together a full 90 minutes yet this season.
Alaves have scored in both of their outings, including a strike in the 84th minute at Vallecas and another in the 90th+2 against Getafe. Mariano Diaz has been on target both times.
For Villarreal, the attack has delivered four goals in two rounds through the Moreno-Mikautadze duo. The firepower is there, even if the results are not.
Both sides should find the net on Friday night. Thats the play at Mendizorroza.
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