Santander arrive at this late-season clash as runaway leaders and in exceptional road form, winning four of their last five away fixtures with just one draw. Malaga have recovered from a mid-sequence stumble to win their last two at home, but the sole previous meeting ended in a defeat for the hosts, and the table positions tell a clear story about the gulf between these sides right now. Santander's consistency on the road makes them difficult to oppose, and this looks more comfortable for the visitors than a local derby atmosphere might suggest.

The goal data is the other compelling angle here. Both sides post BTTS and Over 2.5 rates well above the league average, and Santander's away clean sheet rate of just 15 percent indicates they tend to concede even when winning. Malaga average two goals scored per home game. A open, end-to-end contest looks the likely outcome, with Santander having enough quality to come out on top.