- 1 Racing Santander vs Villarreal: a top-flight return against a Champions League club
- 2 Racing Santander: seven new faces and a messy build-up
- 3 Villarreal: quiet summer in the market, convincing preparation
- 4 La Liga prediction Racing Santander vs Villarreal
- 5 First, a word on our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your responsibility
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the visuals…
Racing Santander vs Villarreal: a top-flight return against a Champions League club 
La Liga 2026-27 kicks off for Racing Santander on Sunday afternoon at Campos de Sport de El Sardinero. It has been 14 years since the Cantabrians last played a match in Spain’s top flight, with their previous season at the highest level dating back to 2011-12.
The green and white club sealed promotion by winning the 2025-26 Segunda Division, clinching the title on the final day. There is no easing in for them now.
Standing in their way are last season’s third-place finishers. Villarreal ended the campaign with 72 points from 38 matches, 18 clear of sixth-placed Celta Vigo.
The Yellow Submarine, though, are starting a new chapter. Inigo Perez has left Rayo Vallecano to replace Marcelino in the Villarreal dugout.
The two clubs have met 33 times, with Racing winning only eight of those. The last meeting, however, went the Cantabrians’ way, a 2-1 win in the Copa del Rey last 16 last season.
So this is a first-round fixture that pits a promotion-hungry side against a European team still getting its act together. That gap in experience is exactly why this one feels so readable.
Racing’s schedule offers no mercy. After this opener, they head to Getafe before hosting Elche to close out August.
Three matches in two weeks for a newly promoted side learning the tempo of the top division. This opening game is a test of stamina as much as a showcase.
Racing Santander: seven new faces and a messy build-up 
Jose Alberto Lopez’s summer does not exactly inspire confidence. Of the six friendlies Racing have played, they have won just one.
That 4-1 victory over Sporting Gijon on 7 August came after three straight defeats: 0-2 against Osasuna, 0-3 against Athletic Bilbao and 0-3 at Wolverhampton. Three big opponents, three clean sheets conceded.
Their latest outing, a 1-1 draw with Alaves, showed a more solid defensive edge. That is where the promoted side will have to hang their hat if they want to survive at this level.
The transfer window has been busy, with seven arrivals including goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala from Athletic Bilbao. The club also brought back Sergio Canales, the midfielder who came through the ranks in Santander.
As for injuries, only Giorgi Guliashvili is a doubt. Asier Villalibre is expected to lead the line on debut, while defender Jorge Salinas, who has been linked with Manchester United and Barcelona, should start.
El Sardinero remains the promoted side’s biggest asset. The 22,222-seat ground carried them through their Segunda campaign, and it is where survival will be fought for.
Canales’ return adds an extra edge to this opener. He learned his trade in Santander before making his name elsewhere.
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Villarreal: quiet summer in the market, convincing preparation 
Villarreal spent the summer winning. Five victories from seven warm-up games, including a 5-1 rout of Atletico Madrid, a 2-0 win at Benfica and a 3-1 success at PSV Eindhoven.
The only blip was a 3-1 defeat to Lens. The Yellow Submarine then got back on track, beating Levante 1-0 and Galatasaray 2-1 away.
The transfer business, by contrast, has been unusually quiet. The only addition so far is goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, signed from RB Leipzig, while Roman Terrats and Alfonso Pedraza have left the club.
The treatment room is empty, which leaves Inigo Perez with his full attacking options. Georges Mikautadze, 25 and a 15-goal scorer in his first season at the club, should spearhead the attack.
Nicolas Pepe and Gerard Moreno are the other likely starters in the front three. The real work remains in Europe: Villarreal picked up only one point from eight league-phase matches in the Champions League last season, and this campaign needs to put that right.
The calm in the Castellon market is down to the stability of the squad that finished third in La Liga. Even so, the club is still expecting more arrivals before the window shuts.
The stated aim remains another top-four finish. With 72 points last season, the Yellow Submarine proved they can live at that pace over 38 matches.
Probable Racing Santander lineup: Eriksson ; Mantilla, Felipe, Gonzalez, Salinas ; Puerta, Gueye ; Martin, Canales, Vicente ; Villalibre
Probable Villarreal lineup: Junior ; Mourino, Foyth, Veiga, Romero ; Gueye, Comesana ; Pepe, G. Moreno, Moleiro ; Mikautadze
La Liga prediction Racing Santander vs Villarreal
Our prediction: Villarreal to win
The gap in quality is there to see in the warm-up results. Villarreal beat Atletico Madrid 5-1 and won at Benfica, while Racing were being brushed aside 0-3 by Athletic Bilbao and 0-3 at Wolverhampton.
The Castellon squad arrives in good shape, with no fitness issues to speak of and Mikautadze, fresh off his 15-goal haul last season, leading the line. On the other side, a promoted team is trying to find its feet at this level after winning only one of its six pre-season games.
El Sardinero will be rocking, but noise does not make up for a gap like this in individual quality. Back Villarreal.
The only concern for the visitors is the Copa del Rey precedent, when Racing dumped Villarreal out 2-1 last season. Cup football and league football, though, are two different beasts.
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