Racing Santander Boss José Alberto Has Emergency Surgery, Misses Crucial Castellón Clash
Racing Santander manager José Alberto López undergoes emergency vascular surgery and will miss the top-of-the-table trip to Castellón in Segunda División.
Racing Santander’s trip to Castellón on Saturday just got a whole lot more complicated — and not just because the league leadership is on the line.
Manager Down
José Alberto López, the Asturian gaffer who’s been steering Racing’s promotion charge this season, won’t be in the dugout at Estadio Castalia after undergoing emergency surgery for a vascular complication. He’d been taking training as normal at El Sardinero on Wednesday, but things took a turn and he was rushed to the Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla for the procedure.
The good news? He’s reportedly doing well, resting up, and is expected to be discharged in the coming hours. How quickly he gets back to the training ground will be assessed next week — so there’s no rush being put on his return, which is exactly right.
Pablo Álvarez Steps Up
In José Alberto’s absence, assistant manager Pablo Álvarez takes the reins for Saturday’s match. It’s not completely uncharted territory for him — he already had a go in the hotseat earlier this season when Racing faced Barcelona in the Copa del Rey. So at least he’s not going in completely cold.
Still, managing a side with genuine title ambitions in a crunch away fixture is a different kettle of fish altogether.
The Injury List Is a Right Mess
As if the manager situation wasn’t enough to deal with, Racing are also heading to the Costa Azahar seriously short-handed. The walking wounded and suspended list makes for grim reading:
- Manex Lozano — injured
- Villalibre — injured
- Arana — injured
- Pablo Ramón — injured
- Andrés Martín — suspended
That’s five players out, and the striker situation is particularly dire. With attacking options thinned out, the club have pulled academy lads Mascardó and Santi Franco into first-team training, and both are in contention to make the squad for Castellón.
What’s at Stake
None of this would feel quite so dramatic if it weren’t for the fact that the top of Segunda División is up for grabs. Racing are in the mix for the title, and a result at Castalia could be massive for their promotion push. Castellón aren’t exactly pushovers either, so this is about as tough a fixture as you could ask for when your manager’s in hospital and half your squad is crocked.
You’d back José Alberto to be back on the touchline sharpish — he doesn’t strike you as the type to sit still for long — but for now, it’s Pablo Álvarez’s moment. No pressure, mate.