Racing Santander’s problems are at the back. José Alberto López’s side have scored 15 goals in their opening 10 league matches, but conceded 26, leaving them with three wins, two draws and five defeats.
Their attacking output has been respectable. Racing rank ninth in La Liga for non-penalty expected goals, creating 12.3 npxG at an average of 1.23 per match. They have scored 14 non-penalty goals, outperforming that figure by 1.7. Their strongest spell came in matches five and six, when they averaged
1.79 npxG.
Yassir Zabiri has carried much of the scoring burden, returning eight goals from 5.0 npxG. Sergio Canales and Andrés Martín are next for chance quality, both on 1.5 npxG, although Canales has scored once and Martín has yet to find the net.
Defensively, Racing have allowed 15.7 npxG, the third-highest total in the league. Their 21 non-penalty goals conceded are 5.3 above that figure, so opponents have punished them beyond what the quality of their chances would suggest. Racing’s best defensive spell remains their opening two matches, when they allowed an average of 0.94 npxG.
They are willing to press. Their PPDA of 11.2 is the sixth lowest in La Liga, against a league average of 12.4, indicating that they allow opponents fewer passes before attempting a defensive intervention outside their own defensive third.
That pressure has not translated into a consistently high defensive position. Their defensive actions occur an average of 32.9 metres from their own goal line, ranking 13th. Their centre-backs receive possession just 34.4 metres from goal, the deepest average in the division.
Territorially, Racing have been competitive without taking control. Their 47.8% share of final-third passes ranks 10th, and they have had the greater share in five of their 10 matches. Across the pitch’s 24 zones, they have recorded more than 55% of the touches in five, while opponents have controlled eight.
López has most often used a 4-2-3-1. Racing completes 343 open-play passes per match, ranking 12th, but 25.7% of the passes they receive arrive in the final third, the fifth-highest proportion in La Liga.
Iñigo Vicente is their main source of threat through passing. He has contributed 3.50 expected threat (xT), comfortably ahead of Jorge Salinas on 1.11 and Canales on 0.77. Vicente and Salinas are also Racing’s busiest passing partnership, exchanging 101 passes. Collectively, Racing’s completed passes have generated 10.7 xT, the league’s 11th-highest total.
They average 12.2 non-penalty shots per match, with each attempt worth 0.10 npxG and coming from an average distance of 17.9 metres. They have also scored one penalty. Across 993 minutes, including stoppage time, Racing have led for 216 minutes, been level for 406 and trailed for 371.
