Alavés 3-0 Getafe: Mariano Díaz inspires La Liga season opener after Femenía red card
Deportivo Alavés opened the 2026/27 La Liga season with a 3-0 home win over Getafe at Mendizorroza, with substitute Mariano Díaz contributing a goal and two assists after Kiko Femenía's first-half red card.
Match overview
Deportivo Alavés opened the 2026/27 La Liga EA Sports season with a 3-0 victory over Getafe at the Estadio Mendizorroza in Vitoria on Saturday, 15 August. The match was goalless at halftime but turned decisively in the second half, with all three goals arriving in the final 20 minutes plus stoppage time. Alavés, who finished 14th last season, move to the top of the table with 3 points after the opening fixture, while Getafe, seventh last season and preparing for a Conference League play-off against Serbian side Partizan, start the campaign on zero.
The red card that changed the game
The pivotal moment came around the 42nd minute when Getafe defender Kiko Femenía arrived late on a loose ball, raising his foot too high and catching Abde Rebbach near the shin. Referee Manuel Orellana Cid, making his Primera debut, initially showed a yellow card, but the VAR, staffed by Carlos del Cerro Grande and Álvaro Moreno, intervened. After reviewing the footage, the yellow was rescinded and a direct red card issued. Getafe coach Pepe Bordalás was also booked in the 44th minute. From that point, the visitors played with ten men for the entire second half.
Mariano Díaz decisive off the bench
Alavés manager Quique Sánchez Flores introduced Mariano Díaz at minute 57, and the former Real Madrid forward repaid the faith emphatically. He first assisted Nahuel Tenaglia's opening goal in the 73rd minute, recovering the ball in midfield before delivering a cross that the Argentine headed in. In stoppage time, Mariano scored himself with a right-footed shot into the top corner in the 90+1st minute, his first La Liga goal since May 2022 in a Cádiz-Madrid fixture. He then provided the assist for debutant Mikel Rodríguez, who scored his first La Liga goal in the 90+4th minute to complete the 3-0 scoreline.
- Kiko Femenía sent off after VAR upgrades yellow to direct red card
- Mariano Díaz comes off the bench for Alavés
- Nahuel Tenaglia heads in 1-0 from a Mariano Díaz assist
- Mariano Díaz scores with a shot into the top corner for 2-0
- Mikel Rodríguez converts a Mariano Díaz pass for 3-0, his first La Liga goal
A first half of fouls and few chances
The opening 45 minutes produced little goalmouth action. The first half hour was described as a near-monologue for the home side, though neither team created clear opportunities. Getafe, under Bordalás, showed their characteristic defensive organisation without the ball and stifled Alavés attempts to build near David Soria's goal. In the 33rd minute, the crowd and Pablo Ibáñez appealed for a penalty after a hold during a shooting attempt, but neither the referee nor the VAR deemed it sufficient. The half was punctuated by fouls and confrontations between players, culminating in Femenía's dismissal.
Getafe's resistance and Soria's saves
Despite being a man down, Getafe held firm for much of the second half, aided by two fine consecutive saves from goalkeeper David Soria early in the period. The Getafe keeper denied Alavés on multiple occasions, including a deflected shot from Denis Suárez. Enes Ünal and Martín Satriano represented the visitors' most dangerous outlets on the counter. Quique Sánchez Flores adjusted his tactical shape, pushing more players forward, and the pressure eventually told when Tenaglia broke the deadlock. With Getafe stretched in pursuit of an equaliser, the late goals from Mariano and Rodríguez turned a narrow win into a comfortable one.
Looking ahead in La Liga
Later on Saturday, Sevilla faced Rayo Vallecano. The two-time defending champions Barcelona begin their campaign on 23 August away at Elche, while Real Madrid visit Espanyol on 22 August in José Mourinho's first match in charge of the club.
