Two teams inside the La Liga relegation zone will lock horns on Monday evening, with Getafe welcoming Valencia to Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
Getafe are currently 19th in the table, having picked up just 19 points from their opening 21 matches, while Valencia are 18th, boasting 20 points from their first 21 games in a disappointing 2022-23.
Match preview
It would certainly be more shocking if Valencia were relegated rather than Getafe, but the Deep Blue Ones have only played outside of La Liga for one season since 2004, so it would be a surprise to see them drop into the Segunda Division for the 2023-24 campaign.
There is no getting away from the fact that it has been a tough season to date for Quique Sanchez Flores’s side, having picked up just 19 points from 21 matches to sit down in 19th position in the division.
Getafe have not been victorious in Spain’s top flight since the end of December, but they will enter this match off the back of successive draws, holding top-four chasers Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano, and their performances in both games would certainly have increased confidence.
The Madrid outfit have struggled at home this season, only picking up 10 points from 11 matches, but they will be facing a Valencia outfit that have won just once on their travels all campaign.
Getafe have not actually beaten Valencia since February 2021, with two of the last three meetings won by Los Che, including a 5-1 success in the reverse fixture earlier this term.
Valencia are six-time Spanish champions and have not played outside of La Liga since the 1986-87 campaign, but they are currently in a serious fight to stay in the top flight.
Indeed, a very tough campaign to date has seen Los Che pick up only 20 points from their first 21 matches, which has left them in 18th position in the table.
Valencia are only one point from the safety of 17th position, though, and will certainly feel that they have more than enough quality to escape the drop zone after the next few matches.
Ruben Baraja was confirmed as Valencia’s head coach on February 14, with the Spaniard back in a managerial role for the first time since leaving Real Zaragoza in November 2020.
Baraja won two La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup during his time as a player for the Spanish giants, and the 47-year-old will now be tasked with moving the team away from the relegation zone.
Team News
Getafe will be without the services of Carles Alena following his red card against Rayo last time out, while Luis Milla is out with the muscular problem that forced him off in the same match.
Juan Iglesias is also still a doubt due to a muscular injury, but Djene Dakonam will return from suspension.
Angel Algobia is expected to be Milla’s replacement in midfield, while Munir El Haddadi could benefit from Alena’s ban to feature alongside Borja Mayoral and Enes Unal in a front three.
As for Valencia, Samu Castillejo’s yellow card against Athletic last time out will rule him out of Monday’s fixture.
Hugo Guillamon and Gabriel Paulista will be available following bans of their own, but Edinson Cavani, Nico Gonzalez and Jaume Domenech are on the treatment table for Los Che.
Cavani’s injury, which occurred in the early stages of the clash with Athletic, is expected to open the door for Hugo Duro to start in the final third of the field.
Justin Kluivert could also start due to Castillejo’s absence, while Ilaix Moriba might be the player to drop out in midfield to allow Guillamon to return to the starting team on Monday night.
Getafe possible starting lineup:
Soria; Duarte, Dakonam, Alderete, Alvarez; Villar, Arambarri, Algobia; Munir, Unal, Mayoral
Valencia possible starting lineup:
Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Comert, Diakhaby, Gaya; Guillamon, Almeida, Musah; Kluivert, Duro, Lino