Home / Sports / La Liga Kicks Off: Newly Promoted Santander Faces Villarreal
La Liga Kicks Off: Newly Promoted Santander Faces Villarreal
14 Aug
Summary
- Racing Santander returns to La Liga after a 14-year absence.
- Villarreal finished third in the previous La Liga season.
- Villarreal boasts a strong pre-season record with wins.
The new La Liga season commences with Racing Santander hosting Villarreal at Estadio El Sardinero on Sunday. Racing Santander makes its top-flight return after a 14-year hiatus, having secured the Segunda Division title last season with 82 points. Despite a mixed pre-season, including notable losses, the team secured victories against Sporting Gijon and a draw with Deportivo Alaves.
Villarreal enters the season following a remarkable third-place finish in the 2025-25 campaign, earning them a UEFA Champions League spot. The Yellow Submarine demonstrated strong pre-season form with wins against PSV Eindhoven, Como, and Galatasaray. Historically, Villarreal holds an advantage in head-to-head matches against Racing Santander, though Santander secured a recent Copa del Rey victory in December 2025.
