Coach of matchday 10: José Alberto López and Racing de Santander's comeback against Espanyol (2-1)
The key coaching takeawayReacting to 0-1 with a double substitution in the 67th minute and another in the 82nd to turn the score around.
3 points for the win × 1.2 multiplier
- 69' Belocian (Racing): 1-1.
- 84' Zabiri (Racing): 2-1, from a corner taken by Pablo García.
- 62' Edu Expósito (Espanyol): 0-1.
Matchday podium
Points this matchday
- #13.60 pts
José Alberto López
Racing de Santander
2–1 · RCD Espanyol
Home · ×1.2 · Goal difference: +1
- #23.53 pts
Martín Anselmi
Elche CF
3–0 · Rayo Vallecano
Away · ×1.175 · Goal difference: +3
- #33.38 pts
Edin Terzić
Athletic Club
4–0 · Getafe CF
Home · ×1.125 · Goal difference: +4
RutaMister coaches standings · Matchday 10
RutaMister's own ranking: cumulative points of the 20 LaLiga 2026/27 head coaches after 10 matchdays.
| # | Move | Coach | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | = |  Hansi Flick FC Barcelona | 19.88 |
| 2 | = |  Diego Simeone Atlético de Madrid | 19.55 |
| 3 | +1 |  José Mourinho Real Madrid | 19.20 |
| 4 | -1 |  Manuel Pellegrini Real Betis | 18.28 |
| 5 | +1 |  Luis García Sevilla FC | 16.97 |
José Alberto López is 10th with 12.92 pts (+1 places).
See positions 6 to 20
| 6 | -1 |  Pellegrino Matarazzo Real Sociedad | 16.93 |
| 7 | = |  Antonio Hidalgo RC Deportivo | 13.77 |
| 8 | +2 |  Edin Terzić Athletic Club | 13.37 |
| 9 | -1 |  Quique Sánchez Flores Deportivo Alavés | 13.20 |
| 10 | +1 | José Alberto López Racing de Santander | 12.92 |
| 11 | +2 |  Martín Anselmi Elche CF | 11.32 |
| 12 | -3 |  Luís Castro Levante UD | 11.03 |
| 13 | -1 |  Claudio Giráldez RC Celta | 9.70 |
| 14 | +3 |  Iñigo Pérez Villarreal CF | 8.65 |
| 15 | -1 |  Beñat San José Rayo Vallecano | 7.60 |
| 16 | -1 |  Manolo González RCD Espanyol | 6.92 |
| 17 | -1 |  José Bordalás Getafe CF | 6.90 |
| 18 | = |  Juan Francisco Funes Málaga CF | 5.73 |
| 19 | = |  Jagoba Arrasate CA Osasuna | 2.85 |
| 20 | = |  Javier Aguirre Valencia CF | 1.68 |
Points = result base × previous-position multiplier. Source: football-data.co.uk. · Photos: credits
Three coaching decisions under the microscope
RutaMister reading: we analyse three decisions by José Alberto López in the comeback against Espanyol, based on the club's report and his press conference. The effects described are observable; the tactical intentions are an editorial interpretation, not confirmed instructions from the coaching staff.
1. Only one change in the starting eleven
Problem: deciding how much to change an eleven that was about to play at home, where Racing were still unbeaten, after losing in Pamplona. Observed decision: Andrés Martín was the only newcomer in the eleven, which lined up as a 4-2-3-1 with Agirrezabala, Belocian and Zabiri. Effect: Espanyol scored first in the 62nd minute, after an hour without goals. The effect alone does not show whether the continuity was right or wrong.
2. The double substitution in the 67th minute after 0-1
Problem: Racing had trailed 0-1 since the 62nd minute and needed a comeback. Observed decision: five minutes later, Pablo García came on for Andrés Martín and Iker Luque for Prati. Effect: Belocian equalised in the 69th minute and, in the 84th, Zabiri made it 2-1 from a corner taken by Pablo García. The report does not let us credit both goals to the changes alone.
3. A second wave of changes late on
Problem: with the score level, Racing were looking for a second goal in the closing minutes. Observed decision: in the 82nd minute Canales and Pablo Ramón went off, and André Almeida and Pedro Felipe came on. In the 88th, already at 2-1, Maguette replaced Iñigo Vicente. Effect: the 2-1 came in the 84th, two minutes after the first of those changes. The club's text does not explain why those players were chosen.
Starting XI in 4-2-3-1
The match in 90 minutes
Racing beat Espanyol 2-1 at El Sardinero, in front of about 21,500 spectators. The eleven, read as a 4-2-3-1, was: Agirrezabala; Salinas, Belocian, Pablo Ramón, Mantilla; Iván Martín, Prati; Vicente, Canales, Andrés Martín; Zabiri.
The first half had no goals. Iñigo Vicente was booked in the 8th minute and Espanyol's Pol Lozano in the 17th.
Espanyol took the lead in the 62nd minute. Edu Expósito scored the 0-1 and Racing had to come from behind at El Sardinero.
Racing moved the bench in the 67th minute. Pablo García and Iker Luque came on for Andrés Martín and Prati. Pablo Ramón was booked in that same minute.
Belocian equalised in the 69th minute and Zabiri turned it around in the 84th. The 2-1 came from a Pablo García corner. It was Zabiri's eighth goal in the top flight.
The closing minutes brought two Espanyol bookings. Javi Puado was booked in the 89th minute and Edu Expósito in the 90th. Salinas took Racing's last card in stoppage time, at 90+7.
Racing remain unbeaten at home. They have 11 of the 15 possible points as hosts.
- 8', Card: Yellow card for Iñigo Vicente (Racing).
- 17', Card: Yellow card for Pol Lozano (Espanyol).
- 62', Goal: Goal by Edu Expósito (Espanyol): 0-1.
- 67', Card: Yellow card for Pablo Ramón (Racing).
- 67', Sub: Racing substitution: Andrés Martín off, Pablo García on.
- 67', Sub: Racing substitution: Prati off, Iker Luque on.
- 69', Goal: Goal by Belocian (Racing): 1-1.
- 70', Card: Yellow card for Urko González de Zárate (Espanyol).
- 82', Sub: Racing substitution: Canales off, André Almeida on.
- 82', Sub: Racing substitution: Pablo Ramón off, Pedro Felipe on.
- 84', Goal: Goal by Zabiri (Racing): 2-1, from a corner taken by Pablo García.
- 88', Sub: Racing substitution: Iñigo Vicente off, Maguette on.
- 89', Card: Yellow card for Javi Puado (Espanyol).
- 90', Card: Yellow card for Edu Expósito (Espanyol).
- 97', Card: Yellow card for Salinas (Racing), in stoppage time (90+7).
What the coach said
José Alberto López highlighted the collective work and the contribution of the bench. Two lines from his post-match press conference (translated from Spanish):
“The team worked until the end, kept pushing, believed, and we were able to turn the game around.”Post-match press conference, 24 October 2026
“It has been a team victory and I am very happy for them and for the fans. I want to highlight everyone's contribution, especially the players who came off the bench.”Post-match press conference, 24 October 2026
The substitutions
| Minute | Off | On | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 67' | Andrés Martín | Pablo García | 0-1 |
| 67' | Prati | Iker Luque | 0-1 |
| 82' | Canales | André Almeida | 1-1 |
| 82' | Pablo Ramón | Pedro Felipe | 1-1 |
| 88' | Iñigo Vicente | Maguette | 2-1 |
Take it to training: coming off the bench to change the rhythm
Task proposed by RutaMister, inspired by the analysis. The exercise is ours, not José Alberto López's. Goal: substitutes come on with a clear instruction and change the team's rhythm when it is playing at low tempo.
- Players: 7 v 6 with goalkeepers, plus 2 substitutes for the team of 6.
- Space: 45x35 metres, with two goals.
- Duration: 2 blocks of 8 minutes, with 2 minutes of rest.
- Organisation: each block starts at 0-0. The substitutes of the team of 6 come on one by one, at minutes 3 and 5.
- Rule: each substitute earns a point if, in their first 20 seconds on the pitch, they pass to a free teammate.
- Cue: those who come on ask for the ball straight away and attack the free space; the others step up with them.
Coach's correction: "The one coming on brings energy; the ones already there make room and pass the ball quickly."
What to watch: whether the substitutes speed up circulation without rushing and whether the team keeps its shape when it wins the ball back.
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Previous matchdays
The coaches of the matchday from previous weeks, with their analysis and a task for youth football:
- Matchday 9: Jagoba Arrasate and Osasuna's 2-0 win over Racing
- Matchday 8: José Mourinho and Real Madrid's 1-0 win over Villarreal
- Matchday 7: Martín Anselmi and Elche's 3-1 win at Cornellà
- Matchday 6: Manuel Pellegrini and Real Betis' 1-0 win over Getafe
- Matchday 5: José Alberto López and Racing de Santander's 2-1 win over Alavés
Coach profile
José Alberto López Menéndez · 44 years old · España · Racing de Santander since 13/12/2022
Career
- Real Sporting de Gijón "B" (España) · 2016-2018
- Real Sporting de Gijón (España) · 2018-2019
- CD Mirandés (España) · 2020-2021
- Málaga CF (España) · 2021-2022
- Racing de Santander (España) · 2022-actualidad
Honours
- Ascenso a Segunda División B (Real Sporting de Gijón "B", 2016-17)
- Ascenso a Primera División (Racing de Santander, 2025-26)
About the author
Contenido elaborado por RutaMister a partir de experiencia práctica, revisión editorial y enfoque formativo para entrenadores de fútbol base.
Frequently asked questions
How are Coach of the Matchday points calculated?
Each coach starts from a base of 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. That base is multiplied by 1 + (own previous position − opponent previous position) / 40, capped between 0.5 and 1.8: the lower the team started and the higher the opponent, the bigger the multiplier.
Why does José Alberto López score 3.6 points?
A win is worth 3 points. The multiplier is 1 + (19 − 11) / 40 = 1.2: promoted Racing count as 19th by convention and Espanyol finished 11th in 2025/26, and 3 × 1.2 = 3.6. He finishes ahead of Martín Anselmi (3.53) and Edin Terzić (3.38). With these points he rises to 10th place in the RutaMister Ranking.
Is this a fantasy game like Biwenger or Mister Fantasy?
No. Coach of the matchday is RutaMister's own editorial ranking of LaLiga head coaches, not players, and requires no squad-building or competing against other users. Biwenger, Mister Fantasy or Comunio are player fantasy games; this is an editorial piece about dugout management.