Racing de Santander and Real Madrid will face each other this Sunday at El Sardinero, and the duel will be marked by the presence of two forwards who, despite their different careers, share the responsibility of generating most of their teams' goals. YassirZabiri, 21, has scored eight of the Cantabrian team's 15 goals, while KylianMbappé has scored 11 of Real Madrid's 25, representing 53% and 44% of their respective offenses.
Zabiri arrived at Santander last summer without much notoriety and, after being on the bench during the first few days, became a starter from the third round. His first hat-trick against Elche gave him the necessary confidence, and since then he has continued to score decisive goals without the need for penalties. His last goal gave him a 2‑1 victory over Espanyol, which provoked praise from his coach, José Alberto López, who highlighted the importance of his performance and called for caution against a player who still has room for improvement. Zabiri had set out to score ten goals this season and, with only a quarter of the championship elapsed, he is already two goals away from achieving his goal, which has turned Racing into an indispensable offensive reference.
For his part, Mbappé has reached the round figure of 100 goals with Real Madrid in 116 games, with 44 in his first season, 42 in the second and 14 in the current one. His record of 67 goals in the League and 25 in the Champions League places him as the fourth top scorer in the club's history, behind Puskás, Cristiano Ronaldo and DiStéfano. Unlike Zabiri, Mbappé has scored two of his eleven goals in the league with penalties, and has a stronger squad and greater resources.
The match at El Sardinero will test both forwards: while Mbappé remains the key piece of a Real Madrid that seeks to extend its winning streak, Zabiri represents the hope of a Racing that is fighting to avoid relegation. The goal will continue to be the weight that both players carry in their respective campaigns.