Former Alaves player and current pundit Gaizka Garitano has voiced strong confidence in Quique Sánchez Flores's team for the current season. The Bilbao-born midfielder, who is without a managerial role after being dismissed by Cádiz in March, believes the Vitoria-based side's defined style will help them avoid many bad days.

Garitano, who played the last 29 matches of his professional career for Alaves in the 2008-09 season, will be at San Mamés on Saturday. From his viewpoint, Athletic will press high, but Alaves possess the tools to counter it. "Alaves scores goals with relative ease and that makes it difficult for Athletic, who find it a bit harder to score," he explained.

The former manager positively values the work of Quique Sánchez Flores, who adapted quickly upon arriving at the club. His system, which sometimes shifts to a 4-4-2 with two strikers and wingers who deliver many crosses, generates numerous entries into the opposition penalty area. The team defends well united in a low block and has reliable centre-backs and a goalkeeper.

A Recognisable Style

For Garitano, the team's identity is its greatest strength. "Alaves is a very recognisable team and I don't think they will have many bad days," he stated. Even at their worst, he estimates the team could be fourth or fifth, and at their best, sixth or seventh. This forecast aligns with the current reality, as Alaves sit sixth in La Liga with 10 points after six matchdays, eight points behind leaders Barcelona.

The team heads into the match against Athletic following two consecutive defeats, against Racing Santander (2-1) and Valencia (0-1). However, before that negative spell they showed great attacking punch, as demonstrated by the 5-2 win over Osasuna. Overall this season they have scored 11 goals and conceded 6, with a +5 goal difference.

Context for the Trip to San Mamés

Saturday's match is another test for an Alaves side facing a direct rival in the table, ninth-placed Athletic. The team will travel with some important absentees, including Aitor Mañas, Facundo Garcés and Mikel Rodriguez, according to the latest medical report from the club. The attack, where Luis 'L. Boyé' is the top scorer with four goals, will be key to reversing the streak. Alaves's immediate objective is to pick up points again at San Mamés and consolidate a European position already within their grasp. Their next fixture after the trip to Bilbao is a home match against Getafe.

Garitano is familiar with the instability that can surround a club, having lived through the difficult 2008-09 season in Vitoria. That year, with Fernando Ortiz de Zárate as president, the team went through three managers -José María Salmerón, Javier Mandiola and Javi López- and ended up being relegated to the third tier after accumulating 43 points. A period that contrasts with the current solidity.

Quique's Alaves alternates phases of high pressure with moments of compact defending, a resource they used last Tuesday. It is a team that rarely finds itself more than a goal adrift or ahead on the scoreboard. Players like Otto and Tenaglia, in the full-back roles, provide defensive solidity and width in attack.

The full squad list and the schedule for upcoming fixtures are available in our squad and fixtures sections.

More detail at Diario de Noticias de Álava