Can Racing punish Rayo’s defensive problems? Rayo Vallecano vs Racing Santander prediction - 05.09.2026
The fourth-round LaLiga clash between Rayo Vallecano and Racing Santander will take place on Saturday, September 5, at Estadio Ontime Butarque in Leganés. Rayo are officially the home side, but once again they will be unable to play at Vallecas. Beñat San José’s team have collected only one point from their opening three matches, while newly promoted Racing arrive in Madrid with four points.
Rayo Vallecano: goals are coming, but defensive stability is missing
Rayo’s start to the new season has been difficult. They opened with a 2-1 defeat away to Sevilla, then drew 1-1 with Alavés at Butarque before suffering a 5-2 loss against Barcelona at Camp Nou. The results leave the Madrid side without a victory and with eight goals conceded in only three league matches.
There are still encouraging signs in attack. Rayo have scored in every round, and Sergio Camello has started the campaign particularly well. He scored against Alavés and then struck twice against Barcelona, showing that the team are capable of creating chances even against much stronger opposition.
The bigger concern is at the other end of the pitch. First-choice goalkeeper Augusto Batalla suffered a fractured tibia against Alavés and is expected to be sidelined for several months. Dani Cárdenas has therefore taken over in goal. Isi Palazón has also been dealing with a muscle injury, while Jozhua Vertrouwd was forced off during the defeat to Barcelona. Marash Kumbulla and Luiz Felipe have also had fitness problems in the opening weeks of the campaign.
There is another unusual factor surrounding the match. Rayo will again have to play at Butarque because Vallecas has not yet received authorization to reopen for LaLiga matches. A section of the club’s supporters has maintained its boycott of home fixtures played away from Vallecas, meaning Rayo are unlikely to enjoy their usual intense home atmosphere.
Racing Santander: the newcomers are already showing attacking ambition
Racing have looked competitive since returning to the Spanish top flight. José Alberto López’s side opened the season with a 2-2 draw against Villarreal, lost narrowly 1-0 away to Getafe and then claimed their first victory by beating Elche 3-2 at El Sardinero.
Yassir Zabiri was the star of that victory, scoring a first-half hat-trick and immediately emerging as one of Racing’s main attacking threats. With Iñigo Vicente, Iván Martín and the experienced Sergio Canales around him, the visitors have enough technical quality to cause problems when they are allowed space between the lines.
Racing do have an important absence in attack. Andrés Martín suffered a right-knee sprain against Elche and is expected to miss between six and eight weeks. The club reacted aggressively in the final days of the transfer window, adding Pablo García, Aarón Martín, Jeanuël Belocian and André Almeida, although the newcomers have had very little time to work with the squad before the trip to Madrid.
Defensively, Racing have not been flawless either. They have conceded five goals in three matches, and their only away fixture so far ended in defeat at Getafe. That makes a completely cautious approach at Butarque unlikely to be enough.
Possible lineups
- Rayo Vallecano: Cárdenas; Ratiu, Lejeune, Pathé Ciss, Pedrosa; Óscar Valentín, Bouaré, Unai López; De Frutos, Álvaro García, Camello.
- Racing Santander: Agirrezabala; Mantilla, Hernando, Pablo Ramón, Salinas; Maguette, Prati, Canales; Iván Martín, Iñigo Vicente, Zabiri.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Rayo Vallecano have scored in all three LaLiga matches this season.
- Rayo have conceded eight goals in those three games.
- Racing Santander have scored five and conceded five in their opening three rounds.
- Sergio Camello has scored three of Rayo’s four league goals.
- Yassir Zabiri scored a hat-trick in Racing’s 3-2 victory over Elche.
- Rayo won both meetings between the teams in the 2019/20 Segunda División season.
Both attacks have reasons for optimism: Rayo Vallecano vs Racing Santander prediction
Rayo should see this as an excellent opportunity to claim their first victory of the campaign. They have more recent experience at this level and enough attacking quality through Camello, De Frutos and Álvaro García to put Racing’s defence under sustained pressure.
However, backing the hosts outright looks risky. Their defensive structure has not been convincing, Batalla is unavailable, the back line has been affected by fitness problems, and playing at Butarque without the normal Vallecas atmosphere considerably reduces their home-field advantage.
Racing have already demonstrated that promotion has not taken away their willingness to attack. Zabiri is in excellent form, while Canales and Iñigo Vicente give José Alberto’s team enough creativity to exploit the spaces Rayo have consistently allowed. At the same time, Racing’s own defence has yet to produce a clean sheet at home and has conceded five times overall.
The circumstances point toward chances at both ends. Rayo should create enough to score, but considering their current defensive problems and Racing’s attacking form, another clean sheet for the Madrid side looks difficult to trust.
Prediction: Both teams to score — Yes.
