September 8: 5-2! La Liga Dark Horse Starts Unbeaten in Four Rounds, Scores 10 Goals and Moves Above Real Madrid into Second Place as Former Shanghai Shenhua Coach Flores Shines at 61

After the fourth round of La Liga ended, a team that was fighting relegation last season has surprisingly climbed to second place in the standings ahead of Real Madrid. Alaves defeated Osasuna 5-2 at home, with 30-year-old Argentine striker Lucas Boye scoring a hat-trick. Even more dramatically, the Spanish coach who pulled the team out of relegation trouble was Flores, who left Shanghai Shenhua in 2019. After spending only 190 days at Shenhua before departing, he has made Spain remember his name again after returning to La Liga.

That night at Mendizorroza Stadium belonged to Lucas Boye. In the 27th minute, he struck a long-range shot from outside the penalty area that went straight into the net, giving Alaves a 1-0 lead. Nine minutes later, former Real Madrid player Mariano Diaz fired a shot into the corner, making it 2-0.

Just after halftime, Osasuna's Ante Budimir scored with a header to reduce the deficit to 1-2. When spectators thought the match might become more complicated, Boye stepped up in the 51st minute with a spectacular long-distance strike into the corner, restoring Alaves' two-goal advantage at 3-1.

In the 64th minute, Budimir won and converted a penalty as Osasuna pulled back to 2-3. Only four minutes later, Boye headed in a teammate's cross to complete his hat-trick, putting Alaves 4-2 ahead and securing the win. In the 90th minute, Ibanez added another goal to set the final score at 5-2.

Scoring five goals in one match, Alaves displayed their attacking power to the fullest. Boye's three goals came in different ways: a long-range shot, a spectacular strike, and a header, showing the finishing ability of the 30-year-old Argentine forward.

Looking back at the start of the season, Alaves' form is even more impressive. They beat Getafe 3-0 in the first round, drew 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano in the second, beat Villarreal 1-0 in the third, and defeated Osasuna 5-2 in the fourth. They have earned 10 points from four matches with three wins and one draw, scoring 10 goals.

This start directly created Alaves' best opening record in La Liga history. What does four matches and 10 points mean? In the La Liga table, Alaves are above Real Madrid, who also have nine points, and sit second behind Barcelona, who have won all four matches and have 12 points.

Last season, Alaves earned only 43 points over the entire campaign and survived relegation by just one point. In less than one summer, the same team has transformed from a relegation candidate into a La Liga dark horse. Former Real Madrid striker Mariano has contributed three goals and three assists in the first four matches, directly involved in six goals, forming a threatening attack with Boye.

Standing on the touchline is 61-year-old Quique Flores. The name is very familiar to longtime Chinese Super League fans. On December 25, 2018, Flores officially became Shanghai Greenland Shenhua's head coach. His appointment attracted attention because "Flores" means "flowers" in Spanish, making the combination of "Flower Coach" leading Shenhua sound like a perfect coincidence.

Unfortunately, the good feeling only existed in the wording. Flores coached Shenhua's winter training while dealing with a leg injury and using crutches, showing commitment, but pressure quickly increased once the league began. In the first half of the 2019 season, Shenhua under his leadership recorded three wins, three draws, and nine losses, earning only 12 points and ranking third from bottom in the CSL. They also went nine matches without a win, matching the club's worst unbeaten-less run in 25 years.

More importantly, Flores used 14 different starting lineups in 15 league matches, repeatedly placing players in unfamiliar positions. He insisted on judging players mainly through training performances and believed Chinese players could adapt to any tactical system, but overlooked their own characteristics and limitations. The results were disappointing and the team's form suffered.

On July 3, 2019, after exactly 190 days in charge of Shenhua, Flores resigned for personal reasons and the club accepted it. South Korean coach Choi Kang-hee took over. That split was described by Xinmin Evening News as "a failed partnership that perhaps should have ended earlier."

After leaving Shenhua, Flores returned to management at Premier League club Watford just two months later, but was dismissed again at the end of 2019 and was then without a club for a period. Few could have expected that in the 2026 La Liga season, this Spanish coach would lead a relegation-threatened team ahead of Real Madrid and other strong La Liga sides.

Alaves' first four opponents were not easy. Getafe, Rayo Vallecano, and Villarreal were all difficult teams to face, but Alaves overcame them one by one. Their 1-0 win over Villarreal showed defensive strength, while the 5-2 victory over Osasuna demonstrated attacking efficiency.

Boye scored four goals in his first three matches of the season, and the 30-year-old Argentine striker appears to have found a new stage in his career. His movement, physical ability, and finishing fit perfectly with Flores' attacking system. Mariano has also revived his form after moving from Real Madrid to Alaves, producing three goals and three assists in the first four matches.

What Flores has done at Alaves is put suitable players in suitable positions and give them a clear tactical framework. This contrasts sharply with his time at Shenhua, where he tried to make players adapt to a changing system without success. In La Liga, his approach has finally found players capable of executing it.

After the match, Boye's long-distance wonder goal spread widely on social media, and some fans began discussing whether it could compete for the Puskas Award. The award is presented annually for the most beautiful goal of the season, and Boye's strike, completed with almost no run-up and explosive power, fits the type of goal often considered for the prize.

In the Alaves dressing room, 61-year-old Flores finally had a smile on his face. The figure who once invited players to dinner near the Bund to lift morale and the coach celebrating with fists raised at Mendizorroza are clearly the same person, but they represent two very different chapters.

Chinese Super League fans seeing Alaves above Real Madrid in second place on the La Liga table may have mixed feelings. The same Flores left Shenhua after 190 days, but returned to La Liga and guided a relegation candidate to its best start in club history. In football, the match between a coach and his players can sometimes matter more than the coach's reputation.

Shenhua's official statement at the time said: "Under Flores' careful coaching, a group of young players received sufficient opportunities for match experience." At the point of separation in July 2019, the statement seemed more like a respectful farewell. In September 2026 in La Liga, Flores has responded to his 190 days at Shenhua with Alaves' 10 goals and second-place position in the table.

Boye was still being surrounded by teammates in celebration on the pitch, while Alaves fans in the stands waved scarves and sang the team song. In the standings, Barcelona lead with 12 points, Alaves follow with 10, and Real Madrid are third with nine points. It was a scene that nobody could have predicted before the season began.

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