FC Barcelona vs Racing Santander: match statistics

FC Barcelona are top of the table and have won all 4 of their league matches so far, while their last five games have produced a perfect record of 5 wins and a 22:3 goal difference. At home, the hosts average 3.5 goals, create chances worth 2.70 xG and register 9.5 shots on target per match, whereas Racing Santander allow opponents 1.58 xG away from home and concede an average of 2 goals. Barcelona also dominate possession, recording 70% compared with the visitors’ 54%, while their 24 shots per game comfortably exceed Racing’s 7.5 attempts. The visitors have lost both away matches, kept no clean sheets in either and failed to score in 50% of their away appearances. The difference in current form, the quality of chances created and home advantage strongly point to a Barcelona victory.

FC Barcelona score an average of 2.5 goals per match, while Racing Santander concede 2.0, making a home goal highly likely. Racing average only 1.0 goal scored, but Barcelona have yet to keep a clean sheet, and their average xG against is a high 1.99. In their last five matches, the visitors recorded BTTS in 80% of games and scored 1.6 goals per match, while their opponents conceded an average of 1.8 goals. Barcelona’s defensive form has clearly improved, however, as they allowed just 0.6 goals per match in their last five games, with an xG against of 0.79, which reduces confidence in the selection. Nevertheless, the 0% clean-sheet rate for both teams this season, combined with Barcelona’s 100% BTTS record, gives a slight edge to the scenario in which both teams score (BTTS - Yes / Goal/Goal).

Barcelona are in excellent offensive form: they have scored an average of 4.4 goals in their last 5 matches, while their average xG stood at an impressive 2.45. Over the same period, Racing conceded an average of 1.8 goals and allowed opponents 1.65 xG, which clearly favors a high-scoring output from the home side. At least 3 goals were scored in 80% of Barcelona’s last five matches and 60% of Racing’s games, compared with a league average of 2.95 goals. The visitors’ scoring potential is limited by Barcelona’s defense, which has conceded just 0.6 goals per match in its last 5 appearances, but the hosts’ attacking advantage alone should be enough to push the total over 1.5. Over 1.5 is the strongest selection, as it requires only two goals with a projected total of 3.43 goals in the match.

Barcelona have won all of their last five matches, scoring an average of 4.4 goals and conceding just 0.6, while Racing have won only 20% of their matches during this period. The hosts were leading at the break in each of their last five appearances, scoring an average of 1.8 goals before half-time and allowing opponents to score just 0.2. Racing were level at half-time in 60% of their recent matches, but led only once in five games, while their average number of goals conceded in the first half stands at 1.0. Barcelona’s advantage should be maintained after the interval, as they have scored an average of 2.6 goals in the second halves of their last five matches, whereas Racing have scored only 0.2 during that period. The strongest scenario is therefore for the hosts to lead at half-time and secure the win at full-time.