Real Madrid faces new challenge without Thibaut Courtois, the Belgian goalkeeper who has been crucial for the team in their victories. Although Courtois is set to recover from his injury in time for the start of the 2026/27 season, which could impact the team's dynamics in their match against Racing Santander, the Spanish second-division team. Real Madrid has had a good pre-season and is currently top of the league table, with 82 points and a 5-point lead over Deportivo La Coruña. However, the absence of Courtois could be a problem for the team in their match against Racing Santander, which will take place on August 16. The second-division team has had a good performance in the season and could take advantage of the Belgian goalkeeper's absence to get a win. In their last match, Racing Santander beat Cadiz 4-1, which could give them confidence for the match against Real Madrid. In the previous season, Real Madrid had a good performance in the league and had won against Racing Santander, but the absence of Courtois could be a problem for the team in this instance.