English
Español
Français
Português
Deutsch
Italiano
NederlandTwo teams in desperate need of the points will lock horns in Spain's top flight on Sunday afternoon as Getafe welcome Elche to Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
Getafe are currently 15th in the La Liga table, just five points clear of the relegation zone, while Elche occupy 17th, one point clear of 18th-placed Alaves.
Match preview
© Reuters
Getafe have finished eighth, fifth and eighth in their last three seasons at this level of football, but the capital club will currently be looking over their shoulder as they bid to stay clear of the relegation zone at a vital stage of the season.
Jose Bordalas's side have only won seven of their 27 league matches this term and have collected just 28 points, which has left them in 15th position, just five points clear of 18th-placed Alaves on the same number of games.
There are just six points separating 19th-placed Eibar from Getafe in 15th, meanwhile, and another disappointing result this weekend would leave the Madrid-based club in a difficult position.
Bordalas's team have taken four points from their last two home league games against Valencia and Atletico Madrid, though, and certainly have a squad capable of comfortably pulling clear of the bottom three in the coming weeks.
Getafe have also won their last two league games with Elche, including a 3-1 success in the reverse match back in January.
© Reuters
Elche, meanwhile, will enter this weekend's contest off the back of a 2-0 defeat at Sevilla on Wednesday night, which has left them in 17th position in the table.
Los Franjiverdes have lost four of their last five in La Liga, but they did beat Sevilla 2-1 at home on March 6 before losing narrowly at Real Madrid and then away to Sevilla as they faced the Europa League holders twice in 11 days.
Fran Escriba's side have actually lost nine of their 14 away league games this season, which is the worst record in the top flight, while they have managed just 11 goals on their travels.
Elche are looking to secure back-to-back seasons at this level for the first time since 2013-14 and 2014-15, but they could certainly find themselves inside the bottom three if results were to go against them this weekend.
- L
- L
- L
- W
- L
- D
- W
- L
- L
- W
- L
- L
Team News
© Reuters
Getafe will be without the services of both Allan Nyom and Damian Suarez through suspension on Sunday, but Jaime Mata served a one-game ban against Atletico and will be available for selection.
The manner of the performance and result against the league leaders means that Bordalas is likely to keep faith with the bulk of the side that featured last time out.
As a result, Carles Alena and Marc Cucurella should operate in the wide areas once again, with Mata potentially returning to the attack alongside Cucho Hernandez.
As for Elche, Jony Alamo and Emiliano Rigoni are still unavailable through injury, but Antonio Barragan could potentially shake off a knock in time to feature.
Head coach Escriba is expected to resist the temptation to shuffle his pack following the loss to Sevilla, meaning that the likes of Raul Guti and Josan Ferrandez should retain their spots in the wide.
Tete Morente and Pere Milla both featured off the bench at Estadio Ramon and are options for change, but the pair are again likely to again be among the substitutes on Sunday afternoon.
Getafe possible starting lineup:
Soria; Chema, Dakonam, Chakla, Olivera; Alena, Arambarri, Maksimovic, Cucurella; Hernandez, Mata
Elche possible starting lineup:
Badia; Barragan, Verdu, Calvo, Josema; Josan, Guti, Marcone, Fidel; Carrillo, Boye
We say: Getafe 2-1 Elche
Both teams will view this match as the ideal chance to return to winning ways, but we just fancy Getafe to have enough on the afternoon. The capital side have won their last two La Liga meetings with Elche and will have been boosted by their impressive performance and result against Atletico last time out.
