Getafe host their capital rivals and reigning Spanish champions Real Madrid in La Liga on Saturday night.
Quique Sanchez Flores is now in his third spell as Getafe manager but is steeped in links to Real Madrid. The 57-year-old followed in his father’s footsteps by playing for Los Blancos and had the club’s greatest player – Alfredo Di Stefano – as a godfather.
Real Madrid prepared for the trip to the home of their former right-back with a 2-1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek that belied their dominance in the Champions League group stage encounter.
Here’s everything you need to know about the local derby.
Getafe: 1 Win
Real Madrid: 3 Wins
Draws: 1
Getafe: DLWWL
Real Madrid: WWWDW
Getafe not only lost the lead against Real Valladolid last weekend but saw Mauro Arambarri and Jaime Seoane both leave the pitch with ankle injuries. It’s unlikely either will be able to return as swiftly as Saturday night.
Getafe Starting 11 (3-5-2): Soria; Djene, Duarte, Alvarez; Suarez, Alena, Maksimovic, Algobia, Iglesias; Mayoral, Unal.
Bench: Casilla, Conde, Anglieri, Mata, Latasa, El Haddadi, Mitrovic, Alderete, Amavi.
Dani Ceballos is expected to be out for up to a month with a hamstring injury. Thibaut Courtois has missed Madrid’s last two matches with a back complaint which casts a shadow over his involvement this weekend as well.
Real Madrid Starting 11 (4-3-3): Lunin; Vazquez, Militao, Nacho, Mendy; Modric, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius.
Bench: Lopez, Alaba, Hazard, Valverde, Asensio, Kroos, Carvajal, Rudiger, Diaz.
Sanchez Flores steered Getafe clear of the relegation zone after arriving at the club last October, overseeing a remarkable uptick in fortune which included a famous home victory against Real Madrid.
That win was Madrid’s first match of 2022, with Getafe catching their city rivals undercooked after the Christmas break – Carlo Ancelotti admitted his side “were still on holiday”.
Ten months on, Los Blancos aren’t necessarily firing on all cylinders but they have still conspired to win ten of their 11 matches this term with the flip-flops firmly put away – a hot streak which may well be extended this weekend.
Prediction: Getafe 1-3 Real Madrid
Credit: 90min.com
