Atletico Madrid go to Alaves with a four-game winning run in all competitions and a La Liga title chase still within reach. Diego Simeone's side are second, five points behind Barcelona, after three straight league wins against Real Sociedad, Osasuna and Real Madrid. The problem is the schedule, because October brings six matches and a Champions League date with Manchester United is sitting right behind this trip.
Atletico Madrid's run and the October load
The form is solid, but the workload is the real test. Atletico have six matches in October, with league games against Alaves, Espanyol, Deportivo La Coruna and Levante, plus that Champions League fixture against Manchester United. That is a proper squeeze for a side trying to keep pace at the top.
The strongest sign of control is the league run itself. Atletico's three straight La Liga wins have moved them into second, and the gap to Barcelona is still only five points. Winning at Alaves would keep the pressure on before the calendar gets even busier.
Alaves at home
Alaves have earned this fixture's respect. They are sixth with 11 points from seven matches, and their home record against Atletico is awkward for the visitors, with two wins and two draws across the last four league meetings in Vitoria. They also beat Atletico 1-0 in January 2026.
That makes this more than a routine away day. Atletico have the better league position and the hotter run, but Alaves have already shown enough at home to make the Saturday afternoon test feel real. The result will say plenty about whether Simeone's side can carry their league form through October before Manchester United arrives on 13 October.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
