Deportivo Alavés, the leaders of La Liga, host Villarreal this Friday, August 28, at the Estadio de Mendizorroza. The match is a Matchday 3 fixture in the 2026-27 season and pits two unbeaten teams against each other.
The Vitoria-based side has four points from a 3-0 win over Getafe and a 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano. Their table-topping status is confirmed with seven points from two wins and a draw in three games, putting them one point clear of Barcelona. They have scored five goals and conceded just one, for a +4 goal difference.
How are both teams shaping up?
Alavés has shown a solid start to the campaign. The convincing win against Getafe and the point earned at Vallecas give confidence to Luis García Plaza's team. Their defense, the least scored upon in the league, is a cornerstone. Villarreal, meanwhile, also has four points but has recorded two consecutive draws: 2-2 against Racing Santander and another 2-2 against Atlético Madrid. The Yellow Submarine is looking for its first back-to-back win of the season.
You can check the Alavés squad for the coming period on our squad page. The team's next fixture is at home against seventh-placed Osasuna on September 6.
What are the predicted lineups?
A starting eleven for Alavés is anticipated with Sivera in goal. The defense would consist of Angel, Tenaglia, Koski, and Otto, with Abde and Antonio Blanco in midfield. Carlos Martín and Mikel Rodríguez would complete the midfield, with Toni Martínez and Lucas Boye up front.
For Villarreal, the prediction places Luiz Junior between the posts. The back line would be formed by Santiago Mourino, Juan Foyth, Renato Veiga, and Carlos Romero. In the center, Pape Gueye and Santi Comesana, with Nicolas Pepe and Alberto Moleiro on the wings. Ayoze Perez and George Mikautadze would be the strikers.
Where and what time to watch Alavés vs Villarreal?
The match kicks off on Friday at 9:30 p.m. Local time in Spain. In Spain, broadcast coverage is through DAZN LaLiga, the DAZN App, and LaLiga TV Bar. For international fans, options are varied. In the United States, the match can be watched on ESPN platforms and ESPN Select, and streamed via ESPN's digital services. In the United Kingdom, it will be on Premier Sports and Disney+ Premium.
In Canada, coverage is provided by TSN and TSN+. In Australia and New Zealand, rights are held by beIN Sports, with its connect service available in Australia. In countries like Italy, Germany, and Japan, DAZN is the official platform. In France and Argentina, beIN Sports and Disney+ Premium/ESPN 4 provide the broadcast, respectively. In India, FanCode holds the streaming rights, and in South Africa, SuperSport holds the TV rights. In Brazil, the match will be seen on Disney+ Premium and ESPN.
Start times in other zones are diverse: 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time in the US and Toronto, 2:30 p.m. Central Time, 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time, and 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time. In Brazil and Argentina, it's 4:30 p.m., in the UK it's 8:30 p.m., and in France, Germany, Spain, and Italy it's 9:30 p.m.
What does this match mean for the season?
This clash is an early test for Alavés's leadership. Maintaining their unbeaten run against a quality opponent like Villarreal would bolster their credibility as contenders. A win would allow them to consolidate their position at the top before checking our standings page for updates. The team needs to manage this initial phase of the competition well, where every point is valuable. The match against Osasuna, already listed on our fixtures page, is the next immediate target after this fixture.
