There is perhaps a scarcity of silverware, however the historical past of Racing Santander is way from insignificant. The membership from Cantabria have been amongst La Liga’s 10 founding members, and after taking part in in 44 top-flight seasons they occupy fifteenth within the all-time desk.
In 2008-09 they beat Manchester Metropolis and drew with Paris St-Germain within the Uefa Cup. But by 2013 the membership had fallen into disarray. After 10 successive campaigns within the high flight, back-to-back relegations left the Verdiblancos within the regionalised semi-professional third tier. However that was the least of their issues.
Indian businessman Ahsan Ali Syed purchased the membership in early 2011, but inside months it was being reported that Racing’s monetary issues had not gone away. By the summer season, they have been in chapter safety.
Membership president Francisco Pernia and his board later resigned. Pernia’s successor, Angel Lavin, promised an immediate return to La Liga, important for the monetary well being of the membership. As a substitute, the 2012-13 marketing campaign ended with relegation.
Issues got here to a head throughout Racing’s inconceivable run to the next season’s Copa del Rey quarter-finals, throughout which they eradicated top-flight Sevilla and Almeria. After calls for for the board to resign have been ignored, Racing gamers adopted by with their risk to refuse to play.
Racing have been disqualified and barred from the next season’s competitors, however the picture of gamers standing arm-in-arm on the pitch introduced international consideration to the membership’s plight.
“I am going to always remember the best feeling of satisfaction of being a Racing fan and of these boys sporting our shirt,” lifelong fan and season ticket holder Aitor Alexandre tells BBC Sport.
“I’ve not often seen so many individuals cry. It was the day we knew we have been indestructible, that we had gained the struggle and that no-one may attempt to destroy the membership once more.”
Lavin was eliminated as president the next day. In 2022, he started a jail sentence of two years and 9 months for for fraud and embezzlement.
In 2022, Syed was the topic of an extradition request in London on behalf of the Swiss authorities, which alleged that he had used cash acquired fraudulently to fund investments together with his acquisition of Racing Santander.
