Racing de Santander vs Alaves: Prediction, Team News & Lineups | 12 September 2026

Racing de Santander vs Alaves prediction: Goal.mu predicts Racing de Santander 2-2 Alaves.

Match Details

• Fixture: Racing de Santander vs Alaves
• Competition: La Liga
• Date: Saturday, September 12
• Venue: Racing de Santander home ground
• Prediction: Racing de Santander 2-2 Alaves

The Story Going In

There is a sharper edge to this meeting than the calendar alone suggests. Form has started to settle, selection choices are becoming clearer and both managers now have enough evidence to know where their teams remain vulnerable.

Alaves will be aiming to continue their excellent start to the 2026-27 campaign when they head to Racing de Santander on Saturday afternoon.

The visitors have picked up 10 points from their opening four games of the season, which has left them second in the La Liga table , while Racing occupy 13th spot on four points.

Racing can be relatively pleased with what has been a solid start to life back at this level, with a record of one win, one draw and two defeats from four matches bringing them four points, which is enough for 13th spot in the division heading into the next gameweek.

The Green and Whites drew with Villarreal and then lost to Getafe ahead of their first win of the season – a 3-2 success over Elche.

However, Jose Alberto Lopez's side will enter this match off the back of a defeat, going down 3-2 to Rayo Vallecano, and they will now be bidding to bounce back on home soil.

Form Guide

Racing lead the overall head-to-head record between the two sides, having posted 19 wins to Alaves' 16, while there have also been 13 draws in their 48 meetings.

Alaves recorded a 3-0 win over Racing when the two teams last locked horns in January 2023, but this will be their first meeting in Spain's top flight since February 2006, with that game finishing 2-2.

Momentum matters at this stage. Racing de Santander want the match played in their preferred zones, while Alaves need enough composure to prevent the opening phase becoming one-way.

Pressure on the Hosts

The visitors have been exceptional early in the season, boasting a record of three wins and one draw from their four matches to collect 10 points, which has left them second in the table, with only Barcelona (12 points) performing better thus far in 2026-27.

Racing de Santander's possible XI puts responsibility on Agirrezabala to start attacks cleanly, while Canales, Vicente, Zabiri carry much of the burden for stretching the opposition and turning possession into chances.

The hosts' best spells should come when they recover possession quickly and keep Alaves defending close to their own penalty area.

Patience will matter too. If the first breakthrough is slow to arrive, Racing de Santander cannot allow frustration to pull the team apart.

The Visitors’ Route

Alaves opened their season with a 3-0 success over Getafe, before drawing 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano in their second match of the campaign.

Alaves's possible XI puts responsibility on Sivera to start attacks cleanly, while Rebbach, Boye, Diaz carry much of the burden for stretching the opposition and turning possession into chances.

For Alaves, the first clean pass after a regain may be the most important action of the phase. It can turn a defensive moment into a counter-attack before the hosts reset.

The visitors also need to resist retreating too early. A compact block is useful only if the front line remains connected enough to offer an outlet.

Where the Game Will Be Won

The tactical battle should revolve around central access, width and the quality of each side's rest defence. If Racing de Santander can receive between the lines, the visitors may be forced deeper; if Alaves close that space, the game could become more dependent on crosses, second balls and individual dribbling.

Wide areas are likely to be important. Every overlapping run creates an attacking option but also leaves a space that can be attacked on transition.

Set pieces offer another route to goal. In a tight match, the second phase after a partial clearance can be as dangerous as the original delivery.

The first goal will alter the risk profile. A lead for Racing de Santander forces Alaves to open up; an away opener tests the hosts' patience.

Selection and Availability

Racing will be without the services of Andres Martin due to a knee injury, but the home side are otherwise in strong shape for this weekend's contest. Jorge Salinas will be a notable starter for the promoted outfit, with the left-back staying with Racing during the summer window despite strong links with Manchester United and Barcelona. Yassir Zabiri has scored three goals in four appearances this season, and the 21-year-old will continue in the final third of the field. Alaves, meanwhile, could be unchanged from their clash with Osasuna last time out. Toni Martinez remains on the sidelines with a foot injury; Mikel Rodriguez is also sidelined with an ankle issue, but the visitors are otherwise in strong shape. Mariano Diaz has three goals and three assists in La Liga this season, and the 33-year-old is set to be joined in the attack by Lucas Boye , who has four goals in three outings this term.

Availability changes roles as much as names. Missing defenders can alter build-up, absent midfielders can weaken the counter-press, and a reshuffled front line can change where chances are created.

Possible Starting Lineups

Racing de Santander possible XI: Agirrezabala; Mantilla, Hernando, Gonzalez, Salinas; Martin, Prati; Garcia, Canales, Vicente; Zabiri.

Alaves possible XI: Sivera; Tenaglia, Koski, Otto; Perez, Ibanez, Blanco, Alena, Rebbach; Boye, Diaz.

Set Pieces and Transitions

Transition moments may be decisive because both sides have reasons to commit players forward. The first few seconds after possession changes hands will reveal whether the defending team is organised or vulnerable.

Dead-ball delivery is another practical route to chances, particularly if open play becomes congested and neither side can create a clean central opening.

What Racing de Santander Need to Sustain

The Blue and Whites have won their last two games, beating Villarreal 1-0 and Osasuna 5-2, to move onto 10 points, while they have scored 10 goals and conceded three in Spain's top flight this term, which is the same as third-placed Real Madrid.

For the neutral, it creates a useful tension: Racing de Santander have evidence their approach can work, while Alaves arrive knowing exactly which area needs to be disrupted.

The Problem Alaves Must Solve

Quique Sanchez Flores ' side finished 14th in La Liga last season, only one point above the relegation zone, so their start to the campaign has been remarkable, and the visitors will enter this weekend's contest full of confidence given their early-season form.

A strong start from Alaves could change the emotional temperature of the game. That would force Racing de Santander to solve a different problem from the one recent matches have presented.

Why the First Goal Matters

The opening goal would carry tactical as well as emotional weight in Racing de Santander vs Alaves. If Racing de Santander score it, they can become more selective about when to press and when to protect space. If Alaves strike first, the home side may have to increase the tempo and expose areas that were protected at the start.

The Final Half-Hour

The final half hour could reveal which manager has read Racing de Santander vs Alaves better. Fresh pace in wide areas can alter one-against-one battles, while an additional midfielder can help a side protect a lead or regain control. In a close contest, the decisive intervention may come from the bench rather than the original tactical plan.

How Racing de Santander Can Control the Tempo

Racing de Santander do not need to force the game from the first minute. Their better route is to establish territory, keep the distances between midfield and attack short and make Alaves defend repeated phases. The danger comes if possession becomes hurried, because loose forward passes would invite the type of transition that can turn a comfortable spell into a defensive emergency.

Where Alaves Can Hurt Racing de Santander

Alaves's clearest opportunity may arrive when the hosts have committed numbers forward. They need an outlet who can secure the first pass, support arriving quickly from midfield and enough composure to choose the right final action. Simply clearing pressure will not be enough; the visitors have to make Racing de Santander think twice about attacking with too many players.

Why the First Goal Matters in Racing de Santander vs Alaves

The Final Half-Hour in Racing de Santander vs Alaves

The Midfield Battle

The central duel deserves more attention than the headline attackers because it is likely to dictate the rhythm of the contest. Salinas, Martin, Prati will be asked to give Racing de Santander both circulation and protection, while Perez, Ibanez, Blanco have to decide when to jump forward and when to keep the spaces compact for Alaves. The side that wins second balls consistently will be able to sustain attacks without rebuilding from the back every time. It is also the area where a small positional error can become expensive: one midfielder stepping out too early can open a direct passing lane into the front line, forcing a centre-back to leave position and creating space elsewhere.

Why the Wide Areas Matter

Both teams have reasons to look towards the flanks when the middle becomes congested. Racing de Santander can use width to stretch Alaves's defensive block before trying to play back inside, while the visitors can attack the space left behind an advancing full-back. The timing of overlaps is therefore more important than the number of them. An early run can drag a marker away and create room for the ball carrier; a late run can arrive after the defence has already shifted. The danger for either side is committing the wide defender and winger at the same moment without enough cover, because that leaves a large transition lane behind them.

The Strikers' Different Jobs

The forwards in Racing de Santander vs Alaves will be judged on goals, but their work before the finish could be just as influential. For Racing de Santander, Canales, Vicente, Zabiri need to occupy defenders in different ways: one player threatening the space behind, another checking towards the ball and a third arriving where a second ball may drop. Alaves's attacking unit of Rebbach, Boye, Diaz has a different challenge because they may have fewer sustained possessions. Their touches must therefore carry more value. Holding up one difficult pass, winning a foul or forcing the home centre-backs to turn can give the visitors time to move the whole team up the pitch.

Rest Defence Could Decide the Match

One of the less glamorous but most important themes is what each side leaves behind the ball when attacking. Racing de Santander need enough cover to deal with Alaves's first forward pass, particularly if the visitors keep two or three players ready to break. The same applies in reverse: if Alaves push both wide defenders high, the distances around their holding midfielders become critical. Good rest defence is not simply about keeping extra players back; it is about positioning them where the next turnover is most likely to occur. A team can dominate possession and still lose control of the match if every lost ball immediately becomes a dangerous counter-attack.

Goalkeepers and the First Pass

The two goalkeepers could shape the tempo in very different ways. Agirrezabala may be asked to participate frequently in Racing de Santander's build-up, especially if Alaves press with two players and try to block the obvious central pass. At the other end, Sivera may face more decisions about when to play short and when to bypass pressure entirely. Those choices are tactical rather than cosmetic. A confident short pass can help a team escape pressure, but forcing one when the passing lane is closed can produce the best chance of the game for the opposition. The calmer goalkeeper with the ball at his feet may therefore give his side an important platform.

Prediction and Betting View

• Full-time result: Draw
• Double chance: Racing de Santander or Draw
• Both teams to score: Yes
• Goals: Over 2.5 goals
• Correct score: Racing de Santander 2-2 Alaves

The betting view follows the football rather than the other way around: current form, likely personnel, home-and-away context and the tactical routes available to both sides.

Final Verdict

Racing de Santander vs Alaves looks capable of turning on a small number of moments rather than one overwhelming advantage. The side that protects central space, reacts faster after turnovers and takes the cleaner chances should have the stronger claim to the result.

Goal.mu’s final call is Racing de Santander 2-2 Alaves.