Alavés roll into Santander on September 12 riding a wave of attacking confidence after hammering Osasuna 5-2 in their most recent outing. That five-goal haul will have the visitors brimming with belief, and it sets up a fascinating clash against a Santander side that conceded three goals in a narrow 2-3 home defeat to Vallecano. Something has to give when these two meet at the Estadio El Sardinero with a noon UTC kickoff.

Santander's loss to Vallecano exposed clear vulnerabilities at the back. While scoring twice demonstrated they carry a genuine threat going forward, shipping three goals at home is a concern that head coach and staff will have spent the week trying to address. The manner of that defeat — conceding one more than they scored despite finding the net twice — suggests this is a team capable of hurting opponents but equally prone to being hurt. Defensive organisation will be the priority in training ahead of a match where Alavés have shown they can punish any slackness.

For Alavés, the 5-2 victory over Osasuna was a statement result. Scoring five goals in a single La Liga fixture is no small feat, and it points to an attack firing on all cylinders. However, conceding twice in that same game means their own rearguard is far from watertight. This sets up the prospect of an open, end-to-end encounter in Cantabria, with both defences under pressure and both attacks capable of capitalising.

The key battle in this fixture will be Santander's backline against Alavés' potent forward players. If Santander cannot tighten up from their Vallecano display, the visitors could exploit similar spaces. Conversely, Alavés must be wary of Santander's attacking capabilities — a team that scored twice against Vallecano will not be passive at home. The midfield contest will be equally crucial; whoever controls possession and tempo could dictate whether this turns into the high-scoring affair the recent results hint at.

With both sides in the early stages of the La Liga season, points are precious. Santander need a response after defeat, while Alavés will want to build momentum from their Osasuna triumph. A win for either side could prove significant in establishing early-season confidence and table positioning.

Prediction: Given Alavés' attacking form and Santander's defensive fragility, this looks set to be a high-scoring game. Alavés' five-goal showing gives them the edge, but Santander's home advantage and own attacking threat should ensure they contribute to the scoreline. Expect Alavés to edge it in a 2-3 or similar scoreline, with goals at both ends.