Racing vs Alavés: Prediction, Betting Tips and Match Preview

Racing Santander and Alavés arrive at Matchday 5 of La Liga in markedly different circumstances. The hosts, back among the elite after a long absence, have collected four points and are still adjusting to the demands of the top flight, while Quique Sánchez Flores’ side has surprisingly surged into second place. After four rounds, the visitors remain unbeaten and sit just two points behind league leaders Barcelona.

Tactical Analysis: Racing Santander

Racing’s return to La Liga has been eventful, to say the least. The Cantabrians opened the campaign with a home draw against Villarreal (2-2), then fell to Getafe (0-1), bounced back with a win over Elche (3-2), and most recently lost a wild encounter with Rayo Vallecano (2-3). Across those four matches, they have scored seven goals but conceded eight. Crucially, all of their points have been earned at the iconic Sardinero. While their attack already looks competitive at this level, the defence remains a glaring weak spot.

That last defeat against Rayo was particularly painful. José Alberto’s men took the lead twice but could not hold on. On 79 minutes, with the score 2-3, Yassir Zabiri had a goal disallowed that would have snatched a draw for the visitors. The 20-year-old forward has been one of Racing’s brightest sparks this season: the round before, he netted a hat-trick against Elche, quickly establishing himself as one of the league’s most exciting emerging talents.

The biggest personnel blow for the home side is the absence of Andrés Martín, a key figure in their attacking setup. He suffered a ligament sprain in the Elche match, with an initial recovery estimate of six to eight weeks. This seriously weakens the forward line, although José Alberto otherwise has a near full-strength squad to choose from.

Tactical Analysis: Alavés

Alavés have been one of the early surprises of the campaign. The Basques thrashed Getafe (3-0), drew with Rayo Vallecano (1-1), edged past Villarreal (1-0), and then dismantled Osasuna (5-2). As a result, Quique Sánchez Flores’ side have taken 10 points from a possible 12. Their flying start is not just about goals at one end – in two of their four matches, they kept a clean sheet.

The attack has been particularly eye-catching. In the last round, Lucas Boyé bagged a hat-trick against Osasuna, while Mariano Díaz has racked up six goal contributions in four games. This pair has largely compensated for the absence of Toni Martínez, who was a mainstay up front last season, and has fired Alavés to 10 goals in four matches.

Injury concerns are minimal for the visitors. Mikel Rodríguez is definitely out after tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament – he is preparing for surgery. Toni Martínez continues his recovery from a calf strain and has returned to training, but his involvement against Racing remains uncertain. Apart from that, there are no major selection headaches ahead of the trip to Santander.

Predicted Lineups

Racing Santander (4-2-3-1): Aguirrezabala – Mantilla, Hernando, González, Salinas – I. Martín, Prati – P. García, Canales, Vicente – Zabiri Unavailable: An. Martín (injured) Head Coach: José Alberto López

Alavés (5-2-1-2): Sivera – Pérez, Tenaglia, Koski, Otto, Rebbach – Blanco, Aleñá – Ibáñez – Boyé, Díaz Unavailable: T. Martínez (doubtful), Garcés (suspended), M. Rodríguez (injured) Head Coach: Quique Sánchez Flores

Prediction and Bet

Main prediction – Alavés to win @2.85 Alavés have made an outstanding start to the season, winning three of their first four matches. The only slip-up came away against Rayo Vallecano (1-1), and even that day the Basques looked the stronger side and could have pushed on for victory. In contrast, Racing have won only one of their four matches and have already conceded eight goals. Moreover, history is heavily on Alavés’ side: they have not lost to Racing in any official fixture for more than 20 years. Given their current momentum, backing Quique Sánchez Flores’ men to take all three points at 2.85 looks like a solid play.

Prediction on total – Both teams to score – Yes @1.69 Racing play an open, attack-minded style: in four rounds they have scored seven and conceded eight, with both teams finding the net in three of those games. Alavés are also potent going forward – 10 goals in four matches – with Lucas Boyé and Mariano Díaz in red-hot form. A recent friendly between the two sides in August ended 1-1 in regular time, further supporting the likelihood of goals at both ends. Therefore, the “Both Teams to Score – Yes” option at 1.69 offers strong value.