Alavés has been pushing for promotion in these opening days of the season, aiming to reclaim a place in the top tier after years of turbulent passages. The club, nicknamed El Glorioso, is trying to return to a category it has already known well, having spent 17 seasons across its long history in the First Division. Those years weren’t merely about staying afloat; they included moments of real distinction. In the late 1990s and around the turn of the millennium, the team enjoyed periods of notable success, finishing the academic year 1999-2000 in solid positions and, the following season, advancing to a UEFA Cup run that culminated in a memorable final. Those were the golden days that fans still recall with a mix of pride and nostalgia.
Yet the arc of fortunes is rarely a straight line. After those high points, adversity surfaced. In the 2002–03 season, the Babazorros found themselves relegated to the Second Division. They managed a return to the First Division in the 2004–05 campaign, but the pattern repeated: a strong season followed by another relegation, followed by years of wandering through the lower leagues. The next decade featured a hard pilgrimage through the Second and Second B divisions, testing the club’s resilience and the loyalty of its supporters. The road was long and often grueling, with moments of doubt shadowing the club’s ambitions.
To trace the recent history, the campaign of 2015-2016 marked a key turning point when Alavés achieved promotion to the Primera División after a period in the lower tiers. That promotion began six seasons of solid participation at the top level, a period that culminated in a difficult descent at the end of the 2021-2022 season. The club faced the challenge of rebuilding once more, this time with a renewed focus on stability, tactical consistency, and a strong club culture that values perseverance and a clear sense of identity. Fans watched closely as the team navigated the transition, balancing growth with the demands of staying competitive in a league known for its depth and intensity.
In the current year, Alavés has returned to Segunda and has been in the mix for direct promotion from the outset of the regular season. The strategic aim has been straightforward: secure a direct route back to the top flight. The quest has been tense and tightly contested, with every result carrying weight in a league where a single week can redefine the playoff picture. The team pressed for the direct path, only to find that the final day—marked by a goalless draw against UD Las Palmas—left the door ajar rather than fully closed. It was a narrow miss, but it kept the dream alive for those who believe in the squad’s capacity to rebound quickly and convincingly.
The current moment presents a fresh opportunity: Alavés now stands on the cusp of a playoff push. To reach the promotion decider they will first need to overcome Eibar, their semifinal opponent. Should they advance, the hypothetical final would feature a showdown against the winner of a clash between Albacete and Levante, framing a path to a potential 18th appearance in the First Division should the team secure victory. The narrative is thrilling because it blends history with a present-day battle, and the club’s supporters are again dreaming of basking in the elite competition, with the memories of those earlier triumphs fueling the belief that the club can rise again. The coaching staff and players know the mission: maximize every match in the playoffs, channel the discipline learned through past trials, and convert belief into tangible results on a big stage. The club’s leadership emphasizes process and resilience, arguing that a sustained, well-executed plan can translate into the desired promotion, even when the odds feel tight or the margins narrow.