Racing vs Real Madrid – News and Probable Lineups

Real Madrid strives to achieve their sixth consecutive win across all tournaments when they face Racing de Santander at El Sardinero this Sunday.

Currently, Los Blancos sit in third place in the La Liga standings, just three points adrift of leaders Barcelona, while Racing occupies the 13th position with 11 points.

Match overview

Racing holds a record of three victories, two draws, and five losses out of their 10 league matches this season, resulting in 11 points and their current 13th-place status in the league.

The Green and Whites returned to La Liga for the 2026-27 season after winning the Segunda Division last term. Overall, their comeback to this level of football has been quite successful.

Jose Alberto Lopez’s team has managed to secure victories in their last two outings, taking down Espanyol 2-1 in league action last weekend, followed by a 2-0 win against Ribadesella CF in the Copa del Rey on Thursday, indicating their current good form.

In their previous encounter in February 2012, Racing faced a heavy 4-0 defeat to Real Madrid, but their last match at El Sardinero ended in a scoreless draw in September 2011.

On Sunday, the Green and Whites will look to defeat Real Madrid for the first time since a 2-1 victory at home back in April 2007, showcasing the challenge that lies ahead.

Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory against Barcelona in El Clasico last weekend was significant, as Kylian Mbappe’s late second goal secured a win that brought them back into contention for the title.

Los Blancos remain in third place but are now only one point behind second-placed Atletico Madrid and three points off Barcelona, with their record in La Liga so far showing eight wins and two losses from ten matches.

Despite not being flawless this season, Mourinho’s squad has recorded five victories across all competitions since their derby setback to Atletico Madrid prior to the international break.

Next week, Real Madrid will return to Champions League play, facing AEK Athens, and will then head to Valencia for their final match before the upcoming international break.

Having triumphed in nine of their last 10 encounters against Racing, Los Blancos will be aiming to earn another vital three points on Sunday in their quest for the La Liga title this season.

Team News

Racing will be missing their highly touted left-back, Jorge Salinas, on Sunday after he received his fifth yellow card of the season against Espanyol in the last match.

Simon Eriksson is still sidelined due to a shoulder injury; however, the host team remains in good shape otherwise ahead of their match against Real Madrid.

Yassir Zabiri has been impressive this season, netting eight times in 10 league outings, and the 21-year-old will continue to play a crucial role in the final third.

For Real Madrid, Rodrygo (knee), Ferland Mendy (hip), Raul Asencio (leg), and Vinicius Junior (suspended) will continue to be unavailable for selection.

Nonetheless, Federico Valverde (hamstring) and Thibaut Courtois (illness) are expected to recover in time to be considered for selection on Sunday.

Denzel Dumfries may be introduced at right-back against Racing, with Valverde potentially moving into a more central role in midfield.

The attacking trio is unlikely to see any surprises, with Jude Bellingham expected to operate behind Kylian Mbappe, and Arda Guler and Yan Diomande likely positioned on the flanks for the capital club.

Racing de Santander probable starting XI:

With a certificate; Mantilla, Ramon, Belocian, Felipe; Prati, Martin I; A Martin, Canales, Vicente; to Zabi

Real Madrid probable starting XI:

Courteous; Dumfries, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Valverde, Tchouameni; Guler, Bellingham, Diomande; Mbappe

Racing has achieved consecutive victories and possesses the capacity to pose a challenging match for Real Madrid, yet we anticipate that Los Blancos will secure all three points this weekend.