Arrasate returns to El Sadar: Osasuna vs Racing Santander prediction – 18.10.2026
On Sunday, October 18, 2026, Osasuna will host Racing Santander at El Sadar in Pamplona in the ninth round of La Liga. Both teams have collected eight points from their opening eight matches, making this an important encounter in the battle to move away from the relegation zone. However, the biggest storyline is on the home bench, where Jagoba Arrasate returns to lead Osasuna following a difficult start to the campaign.
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Osasuna: Arrasate's return offers hope after a defensive collapse
Osasuna's start to the 2026/27 season has been deeply disappointing. The Pamplona club have collected just eight points from eight league matches, recording two victories, two draws and four defeats. Their defensive performances have been particularly concerning, with 18 goals conceded and only eight scored.
The situation reached a breaking point in the previous round, when Osasuna suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat away to Real Betis. Despite goals from Ante Budimir and Raúl García, the visitors struggled to contain the opposition's attacking movements and conceded five times.
That result proved decisive for Luis Miguel Ramis. On October 12, the club announced his dismissal and confirmed the return of Jagoba Arrasate, who previously managed Osasuna between 2018 and 2024. The experienced coach has signed a contract until June 2029.
Arrasate knows the club, its identity and the demands of playing at El Sadar extremely well. His first priority will be restoring defensive discipline and confidence, particularly after a run of four league matches without a victory.
Osasuna's home record offers some encouragement. They have lost only once in four league fixtures at El Sadar, although scoring just twice in those matches highlights their attacking limitations.
There are also personnel concerns. Jorge Herrando, Romain Del Castillo, Raúl Moro and Asier Bonel remain in recovery, while Aimar Oroz and Kike Barja have recently trained individually because of muscular discomfort. Their availability will depend on their progress.
Racing Santander: Entertaining football, but serious problems away from home
Racing Santander's return to the Spanish top flight has been accompanied by plenty of goals and defensive instability.
José Alberto López's side have also collected eight points from eight matches, with two wins, two draws and four defeats. Their attacking output has been relatively encouraging, with 13 goals scored, but the 23 conceded represent a major concern.
The Cantabrian club produced another entertaining encounter in the previous round, drawing 2-2 at home against Valencia. Goals from Yassir Zabiri and Iván Martín gave Racing the lead after they had fallen behind early, but they were unable to protect their advantage.
The biggest problem is the enormous difference between Racing's home and away performances. All eight of their league points have come at El Sardinero, while their four away matches have ended in four defeats.
Those losses include a 3-2 defeat against Rayo Vallecano, a 7-2 thrashing by Barcelona and a 5-0 defeat against Celta Vigo. Across their four away fixtures, Racing have conceded 16 goals.
Nevertheless, the visitors possess dangerous attacking players. Sergio Canales provides experience and creativity, Iñigo Vicente is capable of finding spaces between defensive lines, and Zabiri offers a direct goal threat.
Racing should have most of their regular first-team options available. Goalkeeper Simon Eriksson has been recovering from a shoulder problem, while the rest of the squad was largely available for the previous round.
Probable lineups
- Osasuna: Aitor Fernández; Arguibide, Catena, Unai Santos, Abel Bretones; Rubén García, Moncayola, Lucas Torró, Moi Gómez; Raúl García, Ante Budimir.
- Racing Santander: Agirrezabala; Mantilla, Pablo Ramón, Belocian, Salinas; Prati, Iván Martín, André Almeida, Sergio Canales, Iñigo Vicente; Yassir Zabiri.
Osasuna's lineup remains particularly uncertain because of the managerial change.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Both teams have eight points after eight La Liga matches.
- Osasuna have conceded 18 goals in their opening eight league games.
- Racing Santander have conceded 23 goals in eight matches.
- Racing have lost all four away league matches this season, conceding 16 goals.
- Osasuna have suffered only one home defeat in four league fixtures.
- Osasuna won the most recent meeting between the clubs, a summer friendly in July 2026, by a 2-0 scoreline.
A new beginning at El Sadar: Osasuna vs Racing Santander prediction
This is a difficult match to assess based solely on recent results. Osasuna have been defensively vulnerable and have struggled to score consistently, while Racing Santander have shown enough attacking quality to punish almost any opponent.
However, two factors could prove decisive.
The first is Racing's dreadful away record. Four defeats in four matches and 16 goals conceded suggest serious structural problems when José Alberto's team play outside Santander. Their tendency to leave space between the defensive and midfield lines should create opportunities for Osasuna's forwards.
The second factor is Arrasate's return. Although an immediate transformation cannot be guaranteed, the appointment of a familiar and respected coach could provide an important psychological boost. Osasuna should approach this encounter with renewed motivation and a greater emphasis on defensive organization.
Budimir and Raúl García have the ability to exploit Racing's weaknesses, while home advantage could help Osasuna control the decisive moments.
The visitors are dangerous enough to make this a competitive encounter, but their vulnerability away from home makes the hosts the more convincing choice. A narrow Osasuna victory looks the most reasonable outcome.
Prediction: Osasuna to win.
