Racing Santander v Real Madrid preview: Mourinho's side chase a sixth straight win at a sold-out El Sardinero
Real Madrid won all five of their games in October, including the Clásico at Camp Nou, and now travel to Racing Santander three points behind leaders Barcelona. Federico Valverde and Arda Güler did individual work in training, and Rodrygo is still recovering.
Real Madrid's best month of the season ends with a trip to Cantabria. Racing Santander v Real Madrid is on Sunday 1 November at 16:15 local time (15:15 UK / 23:15 Beijing) at El Sardinero, according to Real Madrid. Tickets for the game sold out quickly.
Five out of five in October
José Mourinho's side won every game they played in October:
| Date | Match | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Oct | Real Madrid v Villarreal | 1-0 | LaLiga |
| 14 Oct | Roma v Real Madrid | 3-4 | Champions League |
| 18 Oct | Real Madrid v Sevilla | 4-1 | LaLiga |
| 21 Oct | Real Madrid v RB Leipzig | 4-1 | Champions League |
| 25 Oct | Barcelona v Real Madrid | 1-2 | LaLiga |
The last of those was the biggest: Kylian Mbappé scored both goals at Camp Nou — see our Clásico report.
The table
| Pos | Team | Pts | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 27 | — |
| 3 | Real Madrid | 24 | W8 D0 L2, goals 25-10 |
| 13 | Racing Santander | 11 | W3 D2 L5, goals 15-26 |
Madrid are three points behind Barcelona, who lost the Clásico and their Champions League game against PSG last week. Atlético Madrid are between the two.
Racing's form
Racing have had an up-and-down season, with a 2-1 win over Espanyol and a 2-2 draw with Valencia in their last two games, but heavy defeats to Celta Vigo (5-0) and Barcelona (7-2) before that. Their 26 goals conceded is a big number after ten games, and Madrid's attack has scored four in two of their last four matches.
Madrid have dominated recent league meetings: in the last five, they have won four and drawn one, scoring 15 goals and conceding two.
Madrid team news
From Thursday's training session, according to the club:
- Federico Valverde and Arda Güler did specific individual work.
- Raúl Asencio trained individually on the pitch.
- Rodrygo is still recovering from injury.
Mourinho will hold his pre-match press conference before the game, when there should be more clarity on Valverde and Güler.
Three things to watch
1. Can Madrid keep it going? A sixth straight win would keep the pressure on Barcelona, who host Alavés on Saturday — see our Barcelona v Alavés preview.
2. Mbappé after the Clásico. He is Madrid's main source of goals, and Racing's defence has struggled.
3. A "trap" game. A sold-out El Sardinero, a team with nothing to lose and a big week behind Madrid: the conditions for an upset are there.
FAQ
What time is Racing Santander v Real Madrid? Sunday 1 November at 16:15 local time in Spain (15:15 UK, 23:15 in Beijing), according to Real Madrid.
Who is Real Madrid's coach? José Mourinho.
How many games have Real Madrid won in a row? Five, all of their games in October, including the 2-1 win at Barcelona.
Where are Racing and Real Madrid in LaLiga? Real Madrid are third with 24 points; Racing are 13th with 11.
