Barcelona will look to continue its perfect start to the La Liga season when newly promoted Racing Santander visits Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, with the match available on ESPN+.
Barcelona has collected all 15 possible points through five league matches while producing an imposing +17 goal differential. Hansi Flick‘s team has scored a league-leading 21 goals and conceded only four, putting the defending champions three points clear at the top of the early La Liga standings.
The Catalan club has won every league match by at least two goals thus far. After opening with a 2-0 victory over Athletic Club, Barcelona scored five times against Elche, Rayo Vallecano and Valencia before beating Levante 4-2 on Sunday.
Lamine Yamal scored twice against Levante, giving him three consecutive league braces and six goals for the season. Raphinha has also scored six times, while Fermín López has added four goals and two assists. Those three players are responsible for 16 of Barcelona’s 21 league goals.
Barcelona briefly allowed Levante back into Sunday’s match after building a 3-0 advantage, but Karim Adeyemi ended the threat with a stoppage-time goal. Flick will want a more controlled performance Wednesday, especially with another league match against Sevilla awaiting his team this weekend.
Frenkie de Jong and Roony Bardghji remain unavailable because of knee injuries. Barcelona otherwise has a deep squad available, although the compressed schedule could lead Flick to rotate at several positions.
Racing has been far more competitive than its long underdog odds suggest. José Alberto López‘s team has seven points through five matches after returning to Spain’s top division for the first time since 2012.
The Verdiblancos opened their campaign with a 2-2 draw against Villarreal and have since recorded home victories over Elche and Alavés. Their two road matches ended in defeats against Getafe and Rayo Vallecano, meaning all seven of Racing’s points have come at El Sardinero.
Yassir Zabiri is responsible for five of Racing’s nine goals. The Moroccan striker scored a hat trick against Elche before adding both goals in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Alavés. Íñigo Vicente assisted each goal against Alavés and gives Racing another creative threat behind Zabiri.
Racing will be without injured goalkeeper Simon Eriksson and forward Andrés Martín. Additionally, midfielder André Almeida is suspended after being sent off late in the victory over Alavés.
History heavily favors the hosts. Barcelona has gone unbeaten in the last 17 meetings and has prevented Racing from scoring in five consecutive matchups. The clubs last met in the Copa del Rey last season, when Barcelona earned a 2-0 road victory.
Barcelona vs. Racing Santander Odds Today
Barcelona is an overwhelming home favorite on the three-way moneyline at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook:
- Barcelona (-2000)
- Draw (+1400)
- Racing Santander (+3000)
Best Bet for Barcelona vs. Racing Santander
Hard Rock Bet’s Stats Hub highlights a scoring trend that makes Both Teams to Score worth considering despite Barcelona’s dominance:
Both Teams to Score – Yes (-150): Both teams have found the net in seven of Racing Santander’s last eight La Liga matches.
Barcelona should handle its part of this wager with ease. Flick’s team is averaging 4.2 league goals per match and has scored at least four times in four of its five outings. Racing has already conceded nine goals, including three against both Elche and Rayo Vallecano.
The decision comes down to whether Racing can contribute. The recently promoted side has scored in four of five league matches this season, with Getafe recording the only clean sheet against it. Zabiri’s five goals give Racing an in-form finisher, while Vicente and Sergio Canales provide creativity behind him.
Barcelona has posted three league clean sheets, and its recent record against Racing is another concern. However, the league leaders showed some defensive vulnerability when they conceded twice against Rayo and twice more during Sunday’s win at Levante. Racing’s willingness to attack should at least give the visitors opportunities to test Barcelona’s high defensive line.
Back Both Teams to Score – Yes (-150) as the best bet for Wednesday’s matchup.
Betting Splits at Hard Rock Bet
Hard Rock Bet players see little chance of Barcelona dropping points at home:
- Barcelona has drawn 98.7% of all tickets and 98.8% of the handle.
- Racing Santander has received 1.1% of bets and 1.1% of the money wagered.
- The draw accounts for only 0.2% of the tickets and 0.1% of the handle.
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props
Barcelona’s two leading scorers make up four of the five most popular player props at Hard Rock Bet:
- Raphinha – Anytime Goalscorer
- Lamine Yamal – Anytime Goalscorer
- Raphinha – To Score or Assist
- Anthony Gordon – To Score or Assist
- Lamine Yamal – To Score or Assist
Barcelona vs. Racing Santander Match Info
- 📍 Location: Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
- 📅 Date: Wednesday, September 16
- ⏰ Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- 📺 Where to Watch: ESPN+
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