Quique Sánchez Flores will rotate the Alaves squad for the derby against Athletic Club. The manager cited physical fatigue from the two matches played prior to the trip to San Mamés as the reason for the changes.
The team faced Racing Santander on 12 September and hosted Valencia just three days later. That 0-1 home defeat to Valencia left Alaves with 10 points from six games, sitting sixth in the La Liga table. Sánchez Flores explained his thinking.
"We put a lot of emphasis on the first two matches because we thought we had chances to get points." the coach stated. The congested schedule, which included a suspended match against Levante, has taken its toll on the squad. The fatigue is reflected in the playing minutes, with several players accumulating over 500 minutes in these first six matchdays.
Alaves face an Athletic side currently in eighth place. Sánchez Flores described the opponent as a dangerous team with a high tempo and intense pressing. "It's an impressive stimulus to imagine a victory at San Mamés." he added, aiming to motivate his players. Following this derby, the team will travel to face Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán next weekend.
The manager also noted that Athletic's attacking structure is similar to Valencia's, the team they lost to last weekend. He admitted his side lost 15 minutes of the first half against Valencia trying to figure out that system.
For this clash, Alaves are dealing with several significant absences. Aitor Mañas, Facundo Garcés and Mikel Rodriguez are currently sidelined, further complicating the manager's rotation options.
The match represents a key challenge to maintain their strong early-season form. A win at San Mamés would allow Alaves to consolidate their position in the upper reaches of the standings. The team aims to bounce back after consecutive defeats to Racing and Valencia. The full squad list and upcoming fixture schedule are available in our squad and fixtures sections. The game takes place on Saturday, 19 September.
More detail at Mundo Deportivo
