Deportivo Alavés and Getafe CF will open the 2026/2027 LaLiga EA Sports season on Saturday at 19.30, and the early kick-off already carries a clear message: both sides begin with different kinds of pressure. Alavés want a calmer year after securing permanence in the 2025/2026 campaign under Quique Sánchez Flores following the departure of Chacho Coudet, while Getafe arrive with the added demand of a Conference League playoff on the horizon.
That makes this more than just the first fixture of the season. For Alavés, it is a chance to settle quickly at Mendizorroza and build a steadier start. For José Bordalás and Getafe, it is the beginning of a schedule that asks for immediate focus, because the league opener comes between two continental dates that could send the club back into Europe after six years.
Getafe's challenge starts before the league does
Getafe will play the first leg of their Conference League playoff against Partizán de Belgrado at the Coliseum on Thursday 20 August, before heading to Belgrade for the second leg on 27 August. That creates a very specific kind of opening-week test for Bordalás: manage the intensity of a European tie and still stay sharp enough for the visit to Vitoria.
It is the sort of early-season scenario that can define momentum. A team can talk about squad depth and ambition in August, but the reality is that the calendar quickly asks whether the balance is strong enough to handle two competitions at once.
Getafe's move into the playoff reflects the way they finished the previous campaign, with a strong second half of the season putting them in position to fight for a route back into European football. Six years away from that stage is a long time for a club of their profile, so the stakes are obvious even before the first whistle of the new league season.
Alavés want a quieter year
For Alavés, the story is simpler on paper but no less important. They secured permanence last season and now have the chance to make the new campaign feel less frantic. An opening at home gives them a platform, and Mendizorroza should provide the kind of setting where a solid start can settle nerves quickly.
The internal link between the two clubs is also clear: Alavés return to Mendizorroza after four unbeaten friendlies, which gives them a useful base before the league pressure begins. In a season opener, those details matter because confidence and control can matter more than reputation.
Saturday's schedule also includes Sevilla FC against Rayo Vallecano at 21.30, adding a second headline fixture to an opening day that already begins with real significance in Vitoria. Rayo's situation includes unresolved issues at Estadio de Vallecas, which adds another layer of uncertainty elsewhere on the first day of the season.
But the focus first belongs to Alavés Vs Getafe. One side wants peace after survival, the other is trying to balance LaLiga EA Sports with a continental route that could change the tone of its season. That is a strong way to begin a campaign, because it gives both clubs an immediate answer to one question: who settles faster when the pressure starts?
