At Mendizorroza in Vitoria-Gasteiz on September 15, 2026, Valencia beat Alavés 1-0 to earn their first win of the season and end a run of four consecutive defeats. They had taken just one point from five matches. Luis Rioja scored late from a pass by Javi Guerra, lifting interim coach Óscar Sánchez’s side off the bottom of the table.
Before the match, Mendizorroza had been a tough place for visitors: Alavés had won all three of their previous home games. Valencia, led by interim coach Óscar Sánchez after Carlos Corberán’s dismissal, arrived as clear underdogs. The club’s instability was plain: Sánchez was in temporary charge, and the search for a permanent manager continued. Still, he made bold decisions, including giving 18-year-old Aarón Mayol his debut, a sign of change. Corberán and football CEO Ron Gourlay had both been dismissed on September 13, 2026.
Alavés, fourth in the table after a strong start, struggled to find their usual attacking rhythm. For the first 25 minutes, Valencia pressed high and moved the ball with a speed and structure missing under Corberán. Guido, the Argentine midfielder, controlled play from the center and brought a sense of order Valencia had lacked.
Valencia’s early control faded as Alavés settled in. Ángel Pérez forced two saves from Valencia goalkeeper Dimitrievski just before halftime. The hosts created more chances as the game went on but couldn’t finish. Nahuel Tenaglia consistently won his battles with Danjuma, who struggled to make an impact or link up with Hugo Duro.
In the second half, Valencia’s energy dropped and their attacks lost sharpness. Alavés pushed forward, bringing on Toni Martínez and Mariano to try to break the deadlock. The home crowd expected another win, but Valencia’s midfield produced the basic moment. Javi Guerra, one of the few bright spots this season, intercepted the ball and quickly sent a long pass to Luis Rioja. Back at a familiar stadium, Rioja finished calmly to put Valencia ahead.
ESPN and Sky Sports called the result a turning point for Valencia after a turbulent week. The match was played at Mendizorroza in Vitoria-Gasteiz and officiated by Miguel Sesma Espinosa.
Guerra nearly set up a second goal minutes later, sprinting forward before passing to Otorbi, whose shot missed the target. Valencia’s defense held on, and the final whistle confirmed a result few had expected.
Behind the scenes, the club’s leadership remains unsettled. Sporting director Braulio Vázquez is still searching for a new coach, a role marked by constant turnover since Marcelino left. No manager has lasted two years at Valencia since then, and the instability has clearly affected the team. Still, this win at Mendizorroza showed the squad wasn’t as broken as the standings suggested. Trusting young players and raising the intensity paid off: Alavés failed to finish, and Valencia had something to build on. If the club can finally find some stability, this result could be more than a brief break from trouble.
