Racing Santander and Alavés shared the spoils in a Club Friendlies match on Thursday, with the hosts prevailing 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. The fixture took place at the El Sardinero stadium on 7 August 2026, bringing the two sides together ahead of the new season. Racing took the lead through an own goal, then saw Alavés reduced to ten men before Villalibre restored parity. The shootout followed, and Racing found a way through when it mattered.
An own goal at the break handed Racing the advantage, though the visitors could not hold on. A. Villalibre scored for the hosts in the 68th minute, and just before that, Alavés lost a player to a red card in the 64th. The game tightened things up after the dismissal, but neither side could break the deadlock in normal time. The crowd roared them on through the extra period.
Yellow cards came at intervals for both sides, with Racing picking up two and Alavés one. The hosts also saw their own player booked early on, while the visitors received their caution in the 87th minute. Possession was evenly spread, Racing holding 51 per cent and Alavés 49. Both teams registered 61 and 63 attacks respectively, with six corners apiece.
The penalty shootout stretched to nine rounds, with both sides converting six before Racing scored and Alavés missed in the decider. The visitors had kept it level through six pairs of penalties, but the pressure took the sting out of their finishing in the final moments. Racing kept a clean sheet through the shootout, though that is a rather loose way to describe it.
Racing had beaten Sporting Gijón 4-1 in their previous friendly, but had lost three of their last four competitive outings. Alavés were unbeaten in their last three friendlies, with victories over Castellón and Girona and a draw with Eibar. The result leaves both sides with something to build on before the league campaign begins.