Javier Aguirre’s Valencia arrive in Cantabria on Sunday carrying four points from seven La Liga games, one win, one draw, and five defeats that have left them in 19th place with the relegation zone already a present reality rather than a distant threat. Racing Santander, back in the top flight after years away, are only marginally more comfortable at 16th on seven points, and Jose Lopez’s side has already shipped 21 goals this season. Two teams trying to build a foothold in La Liga’s lower half meet at El Sardinero, and the gap between them at full-time could have real consequences for how the rest of the autumn plays out for both clubs.
What’s at stake
Valencia currently sit in the relegation zone on four points, three behind Racing Santander and level on points with Malaga directly below them. A win at El Sardinero would lift Aguirre’s side to seven points and out of the bottom three on goal difference at minimum, giving Valencia breathing room they desperately need heading into the second quarter of the season. Racing, meanwhile, are one point above the drop and can put a meaningful cushion between themselves and danger with three points at home.
A defeat for Valencia would leave them five points adrift of Racing and deepen what is already a bleak picture: one goal scored in each of their last three league games, 13 conceded across seven matches. For Racing, losing at home to a side directly below them would cut their margin above the relegation places and raise real questions about Jose Lopez’s defensive setup, given they have already let in 21 goals in just seven outings.
How they got here
Racing’s last five in La Liga read W-L-W-L-L (most recent last): consecutive away hammerings at Celta Vigo (0-5) and Barcelona (2-7) followed their home win over Alaves and sandwiched a loss at Rayo Vallecano, with the season opener against Elche being their other home win. The defensive numbers are alarming, but there is at least a baseline at El Sardinero: both of their wins this season have come in front of their own supporters. Valencia’s recent run offers even less comfort. Four straight defeats preceded a narrow win at Alaves, and they have lost their last two, conceding eight goals across the home games against Barcelona (0-5) and Real Sociedad (2-3). They have managed just four goals all season.
Racing sit 16th on seven points, one clear of the relegation places. Valencia are 19th on four points, in the bottom three. Elche on five points and Levante on five from only six games sit between them in the table, so the picture below the dotted line is congested enough that a single result can shuffle the order significantly.
Key battle to watch
The contest between Racing’s front line and Valencia’s makeshift defensive structure is the one to follow. Racing have scored 11 goals in seven games, a reasonable return for a newly promoted side, but they have been wide open at the back on the road. At home, though, they have been more disciplined, winning both fixtures. Aguirre will be aware that Valencia have conceded 13 goals from seven games and have yet to keep a clean sheet, so how compact his backline sets up when Racing push forward on the left through Aarón Martín and the right channel will determine whether Valencia can frustrate the hosts or continue their pattern of conceding in clusters.
Key Stats
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Our Prediction
History in this fixture favors Valencia, who are unbeaten in the four meetings on record, but those games were all played more than a decade ago. The current form picture tells a different story: Racing are the better team at home this season and Valencia have struggled to score or defend consistently. Expect a tight, low-quality contest that Racing shade on the basis of home advantage and Valencia’s chronic difficulty turning possession into goals.