Alavés Shocks La Liga: Sánchez Flores Beats Flick and Mourinho, Opening a Title Race Beyond Barcelona and Real Madrid

La Liga has named Quique Sánchez Flores as the Best Coach of August. The Alavés manager beat Hansi Flick, who guided Barcelona to a perfect 12 points after four rounds, and José Mourinho, who is chasing at the top with Real Madrid. The atmosphere at Mendizorrotza has rarely felt this special. Alavés closed August with three wins and one draw, sitting second in the table with 10 points. More importantly, they remain unbeaten since the start of the 2026-25 season. Four rounds is a short period to create surprises but not long enough to confirm class. Alavés are not a name usually mentioned in Champions League qualification debates. They come from Vitoria, have a small home ground, a limited budget and finished last season in mid-table. That is why their three wins and one draw in August immediately earned them the dark horse label. The 5-2 victory over Osasuna in round four made the story even more compelling because this was not a narrow, lucky win but an open attacking display. However, fans are looking at the standings while analysts need to look at the process. I have not received xG data, passes into the final third or duel win rates for Alavés in August. There is no pressing data, no PPDA, no detailed opponent analysis by tactical system. All we have are direct results: wins over Getafe, Rayo Vallecano and Villarreal, a draw somewhere else, then a win over Osasuna. These are encouraging signals, but they do not yet answer whether Alavés are performing well because of a superior system or because their fixtures have not included a top side. Based on my experience following matches, the first four rounds of a season always contain many variables. A newly promoted team can shock because of emotional momentum, a mid-table side can climb thanks to peak physical condition, but by round 10 or round 15 things usually settle according to squad depth and managerial quality. Sánchez Flores's Alavés are benefiting from low expectations and from opponents who have not spent much time studying them. But football has no VAR, only hidden angles waiting to be exposed. August performance may be a fixture-related illusion or it may be real evidence of a well-organised squad. To tell the difference, we need five or six more rounds. What interests me more is how Alavés use tactical fouls as a tool to control match rhythm. In many La Liga seasons, mid-table teams cannot sustain high pressing for ninety minutes. They choose deliberate fouls in midfield, slow down counters and allow the defence to drop deep and reorganise. Every foul is a question of intent; data only gives us an answer about consequences. If Alavés are doing this systematically, they can be more stable than teams relying only on emotion. But if they are winning through individual moments of brilliance, it will be very hard to repeat that success against Barcelona or Real Madrid later in the season. La Liga's monthly coach award is not an end-of-season trophy, but it reflects how experts judge a side that has outperformed expectations. The fact that Sánchez Flores beat Flick and Mourinho immediately creates two debates. One camp argues Barcelona with 12 perfect points should be the obvious choice; another insists the context of Alavés's limited resources makes their achievement more valuable. I lean towards the second reading, but I also understand that monthly votes are only a snapshot. VAR does not correct mistakes; it simply changes who carries responsibility. A personal award does not confirm a dynasty; it transfers the burden of expectation from the collective to one person. Sánchez Flores will now face what not every manager can handle: pressure from being recognised too early. Alavés are second, but that position is built on the thin foundation of four matches. If they stay in the top four after round 10, the dark horse story will have substance and the media will need to redefine them. If they drop to mid-table, the 5-2 win over Osasuna will be remembered only as a fleeting August fever. I have seen too many small clubs worn down by congested schedules and media attention. The only things that protect them are a clear defensive system, a stable core of players and a manager sober enough not to believe the outside praise. Spectators see the ranking, referees see the moment, and I see the whole process. In football, process creates results, but results often make people forget to re-examine the process. Alavés are enjoying their historic moment with 10 points and second place. They deserve it because three wins are never easy in La Liga. But September will answer what August cannot: whether Alavés have enough squad depth to rotate when injuries arrive, whether their attack remains sharp when opponents learn to block the space behind the defence, and whether Sánchez Flores can keep the necessary coldness when flattery begins to rise. The La Liga title race cannot be judged after four rounds. Barcelona remain the team with maximum points, Real Madrid remain the side with the most imposing squad depth, and Alavés stand second as an unexpected challenger. What is worth waiting for is not whether Alavés win the title. What is worth waiting for is how they handle the season after they are no longer allowed to hide in the shade. A referee is the only person on the pitch who cannot be led by emotion, but for a coach being praised by the whole world, that line is much more fragile. Alavés are at the starting point of a long journey. August is only the first page, and the next pages will be written with data, consistency and the ability to learn against stronger opponents. If they keep surprising, Sánchez Flores's award will be remembered as a meaningful milestone. If they stall, the award will be just a small news item in the endless flow of Spanish football. The question now is not who deserves more between Flick, Mourinho and Sánchez Flores. The real question is whether Alavés have enough nerve to turn August's emotional boost into the foundation for an entire season.