Racing Santander boss Jose Alberto Lopez compares the fixture to a painful trip to the dentist after Barcelona tear his side apart in 7-2 drubbing

Despite the nature of the defeat, Lopez was quick to point out that Barcelona will still face significant hurdles in their quest for the La Liga title, citing the strength of the other traditional heavyweights in Spain. While the Catalan giants look imperious at the moment, the Santander manager believes that Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will both have a say in the final standings.

“I see some great rivals in La Liga; obviously, Real Madrid are a top-class side who are also in excellent form, and Atletico are a competitive side who are building their squad and will certainly be up there. They will face competition, but what’s clear is that Barca have been performing at an impressive level in every match since the La Liga season began. The challenge for them will be to maintain that form when the Champions League kicks off and they’re playing three matches a week,” Lopez concluded.