Two days after Racing Santander beat Ribadesella CF 2-0 in the Copa del Rey Round of 128, Jose Lopez’s side return to league action at El Sardinero to face a Real Madrid team in serious form. Kylian Mbappé has 11 La Liga goals this season, two behind Raphinha’s pace-setting 13, and a game against a Santander defence that has shipped 26 in ten games gives him a genuine chance to cut that deficit. Madrid arrive having won four of their last five across all competitions, including a 2-1 victory at Barcelona six days ago. For Mbappé personally, this is the kind of fixture where the scoring numbers tend to move.
Mbappé’s recent form
Mbappé is the second-highest scorer in La Liga with 11 goals from Real Madrid’s first ten league matches. His club have won eight of those ten, losing only to Barcelona and one other opponent, and his output has been consistent enough to keep him within striking range of Raphinha at the top of the charts. Madrid’s last three La Liga outings produced nine goals between them: 4-1 vs Sevilla, 1-0 vs Villarreal, and the 2-1 Clasico win at Camp Nou.
Within José Mourinho’s system, Mbappé operates as the central striker, benefiting from service on both flanks, where Vinícius Júnior and the creativity of Bellingham and Valverde funnel chances through the middle. Madrid have scored 25 league goals in ten matches, one of the highest totals in the division, which means Mbappé rarely lacks opportunities to add to his tally.
The tactical matchup
Racing Santander’s back line has conceded 26 goals in ten La Liga games, the joint-worst defensive record in the top half of the table. Lopez’s side lost 5-0 at Celta Vigo in September and shipped two at home against Osasuna in October, so there is a pattern of vulnerability that Madrid’s front three will look to exploit from the opening whistle.
Santander’s squad includes Facundo González and Manu Hernando as central defensive options, but neither has been part of a unit that has kept things tight this term. Mbappé’s movement off the shoulder, combined with his pace in behind, puts a back line that concedes at roughly 2.6 per game under immediate pressure. If Madrid can establish early dominance in midfield through Tchouaméni and Valverde, channels will open for Mbappé to run at.
What’s at stake for him
The Raphinha-Mbappé scoring race is the most tangible individual subplot of La Liga’s early weeks. Raphinha has 13 goals, Mbappé has 11. A brace at El Sardinero would tie the two going into a stretch of fixtures where both clubs face harder tests. Mbappé has scored in each of Madrid’s last three La Liga wins; sustaining that run against a side this open would represent a genuine statement rather than a routine three points.
Madrid themselves sit third with 24 points from ten games, four behind leaders Barcelona and six adrift of Atletico Madrid. A win here keeps them in touch with the top two while Real Betis press from fourth on 23 points. The title race is open enough that dropped points in fixtures like this one matter, which gives Mbappé a team-level reason to convert chances early and often.
Key Stats
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Our Prediction
Racing Santander carry some confidence from Wednesday’s cup win and a home victory over Espanyol last week, but their defensive numbers are too leaky to contain Madrid on current form. Mbappé has been involved in the scorer’s sheet consistently across Madrid’s recent run, and the conditions here, loose defensive lines and open space in behind, suit his profile. Expect Madrid to win comfortably, with Mbappé the most likely player to be central to the goals.
Racing Santander
Real Madrid
Jose Lopez
Kylian Mbappé