Racing - Villarreal. Match preview, likely lineups and fantasy tips. Matchday 1 of LaLiga.

We show the likely lineups and statistical data of interest for your preferred fantasy game.

We also take a bit of a punt and provide you with a captain, a striker, a wall and a risk for each of the two teams.

Racing - Villarreal

Match date: 16/08-17:00

Real Racing Club Santander

The team approaches this first matchday with mixed feelings, although with the hope and enthusiasm of returning to compete in the top flight after 14 years of waiting. The return to LaLiga is a very special moment for the Racing de Santander and its fans, who will experience this debut with intensity against the big names of Spanish football. In addition, the home factor could be decisive: El Sardinero is set to live another afternoon of top-flight action, and a spectacular atmosphere is expected to spur the team on in its return to the elite.

On the sporting side, there are major doubts in the lineup due to the possible departures of players during this week ( Jorge Salinas and Gustavo Puerta), a situation that could lead to changes from the expected XI. There is also competition and doubts in the defence, so the coach will have to decide right up to the last moment who will form the centre-back pairing, since not all of them completed the pre-season in the same way, as happens in the goalkeeping with the new signing of Agirrezabala .

The team arrives with desire to compete, prove that it is ready for the step up in level, and to start the season with good feelings in front of its fans.

Confirmed absence: Due to injury of Giorgi Guliashvili, the young Georgian picked up a knock last season and will be out for several matchdays.

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Villarreal CF

The Villarreal begins a new chapter with Íñigo Pérez on the bench, and does so by visiting El Sardinero against a Racing side newly promoted to the top flight, who will try to make things difficult for them in their long-awaited return to LaLiga. The groguet team arrive at their league opener after a positive pre-season, in which you could already see the style of the new coach, leaving very good feelings, especially going forward.

In addition, the Submarine starts the season with the infirmary completely empty, with all players available in principle, once the doubts about the condition of Gerard Moreno were resolved; he rested in the last friendly simply due to load management.

Thus, the starting XI seems quite settled. The main doubts appear in goal, where Luiz Junior is expected to start, but with Gulacsi newly arrived to compete for the spot; in the centre of defence, where the pairing Foyth - Renato Veiga seems to be the one taking shape, with Pau Navarro waiting for his chance; and up front, where Ayoze Pérez threatens the duo Gerard - Mikautadze after a great pre-season in which he stood out as the yellow team's top scorer.

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