Match Information
Match Overview
Malaga host Racing Santander at Estadio La Rosaleda on November 7 in a Matchday 12 La Liga fixture that pits the division's 20th-placed side against the team in 16th. With Malaga sitting at the foot of the table and Racing four places above, the match carries clear significance at the lower end of the standings, where every point shapes the relegation picture.
The most compelling factor is the contrast in recent league results and defensive records. Malaga have not won a league match in their last four, losing 2-1 away to Real Betis on October 31, drawing 1-1 at Alaves on October 23, losing 5-2 at home to Real Sociedad on October 18, and drawing 1-1 with Espanyol at home on October 9. Their only victory in the sample came in the Copa del Rey, a 3-0 win away at Alcazar on October 27. Conceding five against Real Sociedad stands out, and Malaga have shipped eight goals across their four league outings.
Racing Santander arrive with a more mixed profile. They beat Espanyol 2-1 at home on October 24 and drew 2-2 with Valencia on October 11, but lost 2-0 at Osasuna on October 18 and 3-0 at home to Real Madrid on November 1. They also won 2-0 away at Ribadesella CF in the Copa del Rey on October 29, a schedule consideration given the midweek fixture, though it came more than a week before this match.
Head-to-head history adds texture. The sides last met on May 24, 2026, drawing 1-1 at La Rosaleda, and Racing won both matches before that, 3-0 on October 5, 2025 and 2-1 on February 1, 2025.
Neither club has reported injuries, so both managers, Funes for Malaga and José Alberto López for Racing Santander, should have full squads to choose from. That places the emphasis on tactical decisions and defensive discipline, with both sides looking to turn recent mixed results into points.
Predicted Lineups
Malaga
Alfonso Herrero; Puga, Fernando Calero, Einar Galilea, Rafita; Carlos Dotor; Ramón Enríquez, David Larrubia, Dani Lorenzo, Adam Aznou Ben Cheikh; Adrián Niño Heredia
Racing Santander
Julen Agirrezabala; Álvaro Mantilla, Pablo Ramón, J. Belocian, Aarón Martín; Iván Martín, M. Prati; Iker Luque, Sergio Canales, Iñigo Vicente; M. Zabiri
Team Form Analysis
Malaga
League Position: 20Malaga Form Analysis
Malaga's recent form has been difficult, with one win, two draws and two defeats across their last five matches in all competitions. The sole victory was a 3-0 Copa del Rey win at Alcazar on October 27, which came against opposition from outside the league and so offers limited insight into their league standing.
In La Liga, the picture is less encouraging. Malaga have gone four matches without a win, drawing 1-1 with Espanyol on October 9, losing 5-2 to Real Sociedad on October 18, drawing 1-1 at Alaves on October 23 and losing 2-1 at Real Betis on October 31. That run yields two points from a possible twelve.
Defensively, the numbers are a concern. Malaga conceded eight goals in those four league matches, with the 5-2 home defeat to Real Sociedad the most damaging result. Offensively, they scored five league goals in that stretch, two of them in the Real Sociedad defeat, and they netted at least once in every league match, which suggests they are capable of creating chances.
Malaga's two draws came against Espanyol and Alaves, and they lost narrowly at Betis, showing they can stay competitive against stronger opposition. Sitting 20th, they will be seeking a first league win in this run.
Racing Santander
League Position: 16Racing Santander Form Analysis
Racing Santander's last five matches in all competitions brought three wins, one draw and one defeat in the sample before their latest league outing, and two league defeats overall in the run. Their most recent match, on November 1, was a 3-0 home loss to Real Madrid in Matchday 11, a result against high-calibre opposition.
Before that, Racing won 2-0 at Ribadesella CF in the Copa del Rey on October 29, and beat Espanyol 2-1 at home in La Liga on October 24. They lost 2-0 away at Osasuna on October 18 and drew 2-2 at home with Valencia on October 11.
In the league, Racing have taken four points from their last four matches, with the Espanyol win the standout result. They have scored in three of those four league games, and the 2-2 draw with Valencia shows they can contribute to open matches at home. Defensively they conceded seven goals across the four league outings, though three of those came against Real Madrid.
Racing's away league form in this sample is limited to the defeat at Osasuna. They sit 16th, four places above Malaga, and will arrive at La Rosaleda looking to extend that cushion.
Head-to-Head
Malaga
Racing Santander
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-24 | Malaga | 1 - 1 | Racing Santander |
| 2025-10-05 | Racing Santander | 3 - 0 | Malaga |
| 2025-02-01 | Racing Santander | 2 - 1 | Malaga |
| 2024-11-23 | Malaga | 0 - 0 | Racing Santander |
| 2023-03-05 | Malaga | 0 - 1 | Racing Santander |
| 2022-10-01 | Racing Santander | 0 - 0 | Malaga |
| 2020-02-23 | Malaga | 2 - 0 | Racing Santander |
| 2019-08-17 | Racing Santander | 0 - 1 | Malaga |
| 2012-04-09 | Malaga | 3 - 0 | Racing Santander |
| 2011-11-21 | Racing Santander | 1 - 3 | Malaga |
Memorable Matches
The most recent meeting between these sides, on May 24, 2026, ended 1-1 at La Rosaleda, a result that kept the series closely balanced. Before that, Racing Santander won 3-0 on October 5, 2025, the most one-sided result of the recent run, and edged Malaga 2-1 on February 1, 2025.
Goalless draws have also featured, with 0-0 results on November 23, 2024 at La Rosaleda and on October 1, 2022 at Racing's ground. Racing then won 1-0 at Malaga on March 5, 2023.
Further back, Malaga were comfortable winners in several meetings, including a 3-0 home victory on April 9, 2012 and a 3-1 away win on November 21, 2011. More recently, they won 2-0 at home on February
Injury Concerns
Malaga
Racing Santander
