Pablo Ibáñez has become an indispensable player for Deportivo Alavés under manager Quique Sánchez Flores. The 28-year-old midfielder is the fourth player in the squad with the most minutes in La Liga this season, racking up 581 across seven matches, and has secured his long-term future at the club until June 2030.
His rise is one of the most notable changes since the coach's arrival. Under previous manager Eduardo Coudet, the central midfielder was not a favourite in the rotation during the first half of last season. Now he has started all seven league games, playing the full 90 minutes in five of them. He was only substituted in the 85th minute of the derby at San Mamés and at halftime in the match at El Sardinero.
A pillar in the engine room
This trust has relegated other midfielders like Denis Suárez, Carles Aleñá, Ander Guevara or Protesoni to the bench. Even Antonio Blanco, another regular, began the last match as a substitute. Ibáñez clearly leads the minutes played among Alavés midfielders, ahead of his positional peers.
His contribution isn't limited to physical presence. This season he has already scored one goal, netting in the emphatic 5-2 win over Osasuna at Mendizorroza. He also had two clear chances to score in the recent match against Valencia. Last season, in 41 appearances, he registered one goal and one assist.
Contractual stability
The club has secured one of its key assets. Pablo Ibáñez joined Alavés as a free agent after his contract with Osasuna, his youth club, expired. His performances have been rewarded with a long-term commitment. "The club continues to work on its renewals," as director Sergio Fernández indicated at the latest informational breakfast.
Ibáñez is part of the core of players contracted beyond 2027, alongside Ville Koski, Miguel Rodríguez and Mikel Rodríguez, whose deals run until 2031. In contrast, others like Ander Guevara, Antonio Blanco and Denis Suárez are in the final year of their contracts, a situation the sporting management is monitoring closely.
The bet on the Navarrese player was driven by Braulio Vázquez, Alavés' sporting director and formerly at Osasuna, considered one of the best in La Liga in recent years. Vázquez has stated that, if he regretted anything from his time at the Pamplona club, it was the fact of not having renewed certain players, a clear reference to Ibáñez.
Context of a solid team
Ibáñez's solidity in the centre of the park is a pillar for an Alavés side sitting in a commendable sixth place in La Liga, with 11 points from seven games. The team's record reads three wins, two draws and two losses, with a recent run of form reading DLLWW. Their next test is a high-level one: hosting second-placed Atlético Madrid on October 10th at Mendizorroza. Fans can check the full schedule on our fixtures page and the squad situation in the squad section.
With Pablo Ibáñez secured for the coming years, Alavés possesses a valuable asset to maintain stability and competitiveness in midfield. The player approaches the match against Atlético with the confidence of being a trusted man for Quique Sánchez Flores.
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