José Alberto Warns Racing Santander Must Be Sharp Against Compact Burgos Side
Racing Santander boss José Alberto is under no illusions ahead of the Burgos CF clash, flagging their intensity while confirming Ezkieta starts in goal.
José Alberto isn’t taking Burgos CF lightly — and he’s making sure his Racing Santander squad aren’t either as the Segunda División promotion race heats up.
A Proper Threat Coming to El Sardinero
The Racing gaffer was speaking to the press after training and made it pretty clear he rates Luis Miguel Ramis’s Burgos outfit as a genuine handful. He described them as a tight, intense unit — the sort of side that’ll press you high up the pitch but are equally happy to drop into a deep block and hit you on the counter if you give them the chance.
Burgos have the numbers to back up the reputation too. They nearly nicked a result against Las Palmas recently, and José Alberto knows that a side in that kind of form coming to your ground is not something you can take on the chin without a proper plan.
Home Fortress Mentality
One of the big themes from the press conference was how crucial El Sardinero is going to be between now and the end of the season. José Alberto was emphatic that winning at home has to become a habit — these are the games that’ll define whether Racing are in the mix come May.
Key points he stressed:
- Burgos will press high early, so Racing need to be quick in transition
- If Racing don’t win the ball back sharply, Burgos will sit deep and be difficult to break down
- The home crowd and home form are going to be pivotal in the run-in
The Ramis Beef? Done and Dusted
There was a bit of previous between the two managers from the first leg — Ramis apparently called José Alberto a “fool” in his post-match presser, which is a bit strong. But the Racing boss was measured about it, saying he hadn’t spoken to Ramis since and reckoned it was just heat-of-the-moment stuff. “I have a lot of respect for him,” he said, and that seemed to be that. Fair play for not letting it fester.
Nando Yosu Remembered
On a more emotional note, today marks ten years since the passing of Nando Yosu, a proper Racing Santander legend. José Alberto paid tribute, calling him a myth and a reference point for the club — someone who, whenever he was put in charge, you just knew Racing would be alright. Lovely touch from the manager to acknowledge it publicly.
Team News Bits
- Arana injury: Juan Carlos Arana has picked up another injury, which is a proper blow to the forward line. José Alberto is trying to stay positive though, pointing out that once players return from their respective knocks, Racing will have serious firepower up top for the business end of the season.
- Goalkeeper confirmed: Jokin Ezkieta will start between the sticks against Burgos. José Alberto admitted Ezkieta could be performing at a higher level, but his faith in the keeper remains absolute.
- Open training: The squad will train with fans watching on Saturday, which the manager clearly loves — he reckons it’s brilliant for the kids to get close to the players. Can’t argue with that.
All told, Racing go into this one with clear eyes about the challenge ahead. Burgos are no pushover, but El Sardinero needs to become a fortress — and that starts this weekend.