At the end of April, Deportivo Alavés’ stadium turned 100 years old. There was no shortage of lavish celebrations, with the festivities highlighted by a league victory over a direct rival. The future of a venue that has survived everything from playing in regional leagues to European cups is, however, uncertain.

100 years of history

Deportivo Alavés S. A. D. was founded in 1921, but did not move into Estadio de Mendizorrotza until three years later. Prior to that, the blue-and-whites played their matches on Camino de Lasarte, but it was clear to everyone that, in order to grow, the club would be unable to do without a large venue to match the ambitions of the team from Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Now the fourth oldest facility among professional teams (after El Molinón, Mestalla and la Cerámica), it was inaugurated on 27 April 1924 with a cycling race and athletics competition, followed by the first ever football match. Facing the hosts was Sociedad Deportiva Deusto, who succumbed to Babazorros according to different sources 2:0 or 2:1. The first goal in the history of the venue was scored by Pérez Muga. According to SER, however, matches had been played there before, on trial, but the stadium was not declared open until a priest consecrated it on 27 April 1924 before the competition.

Interestingly, the venue was nameless at the time of its inauguration, as historian Santiago de Pablo told EITB TV in an interview. It was named later, through a public poll. From the Basque Mendizorrotza, and in Spanish Mendizorroza means sharpened mountain. You don't have to look far for the origin of this bizarre name - there is still a sloping hill right next to the facility today.

The capacity of the Mendi, as the fans caressingly call the stadium, was originally 7200 seats, almost all of which were standing. Mendizorrotza debuted as a modern facility for the time, which, however, consisted of little more than a pitch and a covered wooden main stand, which had more expensive bench seating.

© Deportivo Alavés

How has Mendizorrotza changed over the years?

As we can learn from the Basque magazine Norte Expres, in the 1950/51 season a radio tower was erected by the field, which allowed matches to be broadcast by Radio Vitoria. Three years later another stand was built, with it’s roofing completed in 1962. Lighting didn't appear on the Sharpened Hill until 1971.

The stadium underwent its biggest modernisation, which gave it its current shape - an enclosed facility with single-level covered stands, with a total capacity of almost 20,000 seats - in 1997. This coincided with the most glorious period in the club's history, when it returned to the Primera División in the 1997/98 season after 42 years of wandering in the lower levels of the competition.

Two years later, Alavés finished sixth in La Liga, qualifying to play in the UEFA Cup, in which, after beating teams such as Inter Milan and Rayo Vallecano in the final at Signal Iduna Park, they succumbed to Liverpool 5:4 in dramatic extra time, where a suicide goal by Alavés' player 9 ended the match (the golden goal rule in extra time was then applied).

© Europlan-Online.de

Lavish celebrations at Mendizorroza

Although the glory days are long gone, the Basque team had something to celebrate. To celebrate the stadium's round birthday, the club prepared graffiti-making activities for fans, lectures on the history of the venue or the club's identity, as well as 150 free tickets to visit Mendizorroza.

The highlights, however, came on Saturday 27 April, as exactly 100 years after the inauguration of Mendi Alavés hosted Celta Vigo at home. Fans were able to enjoy a photographic exhibition, play 3x3 games and even meet Alavés players before the match kicked off.

The icing on the cake, of course, was the 3:0 demolition of the visitors by Alavesistas in front of a home crowd that filled a record 91% of the seats. The players from Vitoria-Gasteiz played the match wearing jerseys with the stadium's logo, the images of which were also hung in the stands.

The celebrations, which lasted over a week, closed on 1 May with a Basque derby between Alavés' women's team - Gloriosas Deportivo Alavés - and rivals Athletic de Bilbao. The encounter, for which the club had distributed free tickets to fans, ended in a 0:1 victory for the visitors.

© Deportivo Alavés

An uncertain future

Despite its 100 years and the undoubted sentiment that the Mendi is held, its future is uncertain. In 2016, a project for the redevelopment of the Mendizorroza was unveiled, which included an increase in capacity to up to 32,000 seats. However, the work never started and the ambitious plans were tucked away in a cupboard.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary, the discussion about the future of the stadium has started again. It is obvious to most that the current facility is out of step with the needs of Alavés, and there are two alternatives. The first would involve a deep upgrade of Mendizorroza, along the lines of the 2016 project, and the second would involve the erection of a completely new arena.

As SER reports, the fact that the stadium belongs to the city but is maintained by the club further complicates matters. However, there is a lack of clear statements from the club or politicians, and the further fate of Spain's 3rd oldest venue is still in question.