TSN is your home for La Liga and this weekend’s featured matchup sees Canada stars Tajon Buchanan, Tani Oluwaseyi and the rest of Villarreal looking to stay in the title race with a visit from Alavés. You can catch Villarreal vs. Alavés LIVE on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. ET/ 7 a.m. PT on TSN+.
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Villarreal started 2026 by stopping the bleeding. The Yellow Submarine got goals from Alberto Moleiro, Georges Mikautadze and Alfonso Pedraza in a 3-1 win over Elche on Jan. 3. It was the team’s first victory after a run of three straight losses in all competitions, including crashing out of the Copa del Rey in the Round of 32 to Segunda Division side Racing Santander.
Third in the table and on the periphery of the title race (Villarreal trails leaders Barcelona by 11 points, but has two games in hand), Canada’s Tajon Buchanan and Tani Oluwaseyi and the rest of the Yellow Submarine will look to build on that victory on Saturday with a visit from midtable Alavés.
Villarreal manager Marcelino is expecting a battle.
“We know that Alavés are going to demand a lot from us,” Marcelino said. “They are an intense, dynamic and supportive team. A team that plays well and has a playing structure similar to ours. They are a team with good technical ability that run a lot. They also break well on the counter-attack and concede few goals. We want to win and we have to be very focused to achieve it. From that premise, we know they are going to demand us to run a lot, defend well and be clinical in the boxes. If we achieve that, we will be closer to winning, but it will not be an easy match.”
Asked what he’s looking for from his team on Saturday, Marcelino, who is in his second stint as Yellow Submarine manager, said he wants things to be tightened up defensively. After a run of three wins in late October into early November where Villarreal outscored its opponents 12-0, the team has kept a clean sheet just twice in its last 11 matches across all competitions.
“We would like to have another match without conceding,” Marcelino said. “We haven’t done it since the Getafe game [on Dec. 6]. It has been several matches now, but since that day we haven’t achieved it. It is important to do so to get closer to winning matches.”
Still, the former Sevilla, Valencia and Marseille boss likes where his team is at this point in the campaign.
“Before finishing the first half of the season, we have 38 points,” Marcelino said. “The same as Atlético with two matches fewer. We have the option of reaching 44 points [at the halfway point] and that is incredible. For now, we want to win and reach 41 points. And to achieve it, we must make the most of the fact we are playing at home and show that we have the hope, the capacity and the ambition to win.”
The Yellow Submarine has been getting help from its Canadian duo. The 26-year-old Buchanan is in his second season with the club after having initially joined on loan from Inter in the second half of last season. His transfer was made permanent this past summer. The Brampton, Ont. winger has five league goals in 16 matches this season. He was nominated for Villarreal Player of the Month for December earlier this week.
Tajon Buchanan, Santi Comesaña and Alberto Moleiro are up for our December Player of the Month.
— Villarreal CF English (@VillarrealCFen) January 8, 2026
Vote for your winner here and be in with the chance of getting their signed shirt: https://t.co/4OAEzIyNvj pic.twitter.com/jOAGSuhUnp
Oluwaseyi came to Spain in the summer transfer window after spending the first three seasons of his pro career with Minnesota United, who had selected him with the 17th overall pick of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft out of St. John’s. Born in Nigeria and raised in Mississauga, Ont., the 25-year-old Oluwaseyi has two goals and an assist in 14 La Liga matches and six goals across all competitions this season.
Alavés enters the match on 19 points and in 13th spot in the table. Managed by Eduardo Courdet, the team is winless in its last three La Liga matches. Last time out, Alavés was held 1-1 by 20th-place Real Oviedo.
More La Liga action on TSN
- Real Oviedo vs. Real Betis, Saturday at 7:45 a.m. ET/4:45 p.m. PT on TSN+
- Girona vs. Osasuna, Saturday at 12:15 p.m. ET/9:15 a.m. PT on TSN+
- Valencia vs. Elche, Saturday at 2:45 p.m. ET/11:45 a.m. PT on TSN+
- Rayo Vallecano vs. Mallorca, Sunday at 7:45 a.m. ET/4:45 a.m. PT on TSN+
- Levante vs. Espanyol, Sunday at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT on TSN+
