Alaves come into this La Liga opener with real momentum. They ended last season strongly, losing just once in their final four games, and that survival scrap — they finished just one point above the drop — has clearly sharpened their edge. The 3-0 friendly win over Castellon in late July was a statement: this is a side that wants to make Mendizorroza a fortress from day one. There's a hunger here, a sense that last season's fear of relegation has been converted into something more dangerous. Getafe, by contrast, are the ultimate low-block merchants. They edged Reading 1-0 in a friendly, but that's their style — grind it out, keep it tight, nick something on the break. The problem? They scored just 32 league goals last season, the second-worst attacking record in the division. That's not a blip; that's an identity. And it's an identity that struggles when the onus is on them to create.

Home advantage at Mendizorroza is not a myth. Alaves feed off that crowd, especially in openers when the season is fresh and hope is high. Getafe away from the Coliseum are a different beast — they sit deep, invite pressure, and hope to steal a point. But against a side that finished one point above the relegation zone, they'll fancy their chances of a smash-and-grab. Yet the data leans the other way: Alaves' recent form, their attacking intent in pre-season, and the sheer desperation to start well after last season's scare. Getafe's 32-goal campaign is a red flag — you can't park the bus forever and expect to survive when you can't score at the other end.