Osasuna host Racing Santander at Estadio El Sadar on October 18 in a La Liga meeting between two sides trying to move away from the bottom of the table. Both have eight points and sit just two points above the relegation zone, with Racing 15th and Osasuna 16th. Neither side arrives with much defensive confidence: Osasuna have conceded 17 goals across their last five matches, while Racing have let in 18 over the same span. Those figures make this a fixture in which chances at both ends could matter as much as the final result.

Osasuna's Recent Form and Key Stats

Osasuna are seeking their first league win in six matches after a run of one draw and four defeats. Their latest setback was a 5-2 loss to Real Betis on October 11. Across those five games, they have averaged 1.0 goal scored and 3.4 conceded per match. The difficult spell has also brought a change on the bench, with Arrasate replacing Ramis.

Over the La Liga season so far, Osasuna have two wins, two draws and four defeats. They are averaging 1.0 goal scored and 2.3 conceded per game, a gap they will hope to narrow at home. Their recent home matches offer a different goals trend from their overall defensive numbers: each of their last 10 La Liga fixtures at home has featured under 3.5 total goals. Osasuna have also been behind at half-time in seven of their last 11 league matches, underlining the importance of a steadier start against Racing.

Racing Santander's Recent Form and Key Stats

Racing Santander travel to Pamplona after a 2-2 draw with Valencia on October 11. That point followed heavy defeats to Barcelona and Celta, by 7-2 and 5-0 respectively. Racing have one win, one draw and three losses from their last five matches, scoring an average of 1.6 goals per game but conceding 3.6. The Valencia draw offered a change of result after the two heavy losses, although it did not bring a clean sheet.

Like Osasuna, the newly promoted visitors have a league record of two wins, two draws and four defeats. Their season averages stand at 1.6 goals scored and 2.9 conceded per match. Racing have conceded at least once in each of their last 13 matches, so limiting Osasuna's opportunities will be a clear challenge. There is also a consistent second-half goals pattern in Racing's fixtures: at least one goal has been scored after the break in 21 of their last 23 matches, including 18 of their last 20 away games.

Osasuna vs Racing Santander Probable Lineups

Osasuna's possible XI: Sergio Herrera; Arguibide, Catena, Santos, Bretones; Moncayola, Iker Muñoz; Rubén García, Moi Gómez; Budimir, Kike Barja. Herrando and De Castillo are unavailable through injury.

Racing Santander's probable XI: Agirrezabala; Mantilla, Pablo Ramón, Belocian, Salinas; Iván Martín, Prati, Canales, Iñigo Vicente; Pablo García, Zabiri. Eriksson is a doubt for the trip. Pablo García has gained attention through his involvement with the under-21 side, while Zabiri arrives on a scoring run.

Osasuna vs Racing Santander Match Analysis

The contrast between Osasuna's home trend and the teams' broader defensive records is central to this preview. Osasuna's last 10 home league games have all stayed below four total goals, yet they have conceded heavily in their most recent five matches overall. Racing's recent games have also brought plenty of goals, and their 13-match run without a clean sheet gives the hosts a reason to believe they can score despite their winless spell.

Racing, meanwhile, have averaged more goals scored than Osasuna both over the season and across the last five matches. Their 2-2 draw with Valencia showed they can find the net, but conceding twice again left them without a win. Osasuna will be looking for an immediate improvement under Arrasate, while Racing have the opportunity to put further pressure on a side level with them on points.

The head-to-head summary gives Osasuna two wins and Racing three, with no draws across the five meetings listed. Their most recent meeting ended 2-0 on July 24, but the more immediate question is whether either defense can keep the other out. With both sides conceding frequently and needing points, an exchange of goals is a coherent expectation for this La Liga encounter.

Osasuna vs Racing Santander prediction from BetMines: Both Teams To Score (Yes) with 56% probability.