Overview
- Villarreal beat Alavés 3-1 on Jan. 10 to consolidate third place in LaLiga.
- Alberto Moleiro scored his eighth league goal and assisted, with Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze adding the other strikes.
- Toni Martínez netted a late consolation for Alavés after a defensive turnover, and the visitors sit 15th.
- Villarreal are eight points behind Barcelona and four behind Real Madrid, three clear of Atlético, with a game in hand as the top two contest the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
- The victory capped Villarreal’s best-ever first half in LaLiga at 41 points, with Marcelino emphasizing a league focus after early exits in the Copa del Rey and Champions League.