Preview: Getafe vs Rayo Vallecano - prediction, team news, lineups

Separated by just one place and level on points in the early LaLiga standings, Getafe and Rayo Vallecano meet at the Estadio Coliseum on Monday evening in what promises to be a tightly contested Madrid derby in matchday nine.

Jose Bordalas’s side go into the fixture on the back of a taxing midweek European trip, while Rayo Vallecano arrive with a game in hand and the momentum of knowing a win would lift them above their city rivals in the table.

Match preview

It has been a slow start to the new campaign for Getafe, who sit 14th in the LaLiga table after eight matches with eight points accumulated from two wins, two draws and four defeats.

Bordalas’s men have managed just one win across their last five games in all competitions - a 1-0 victory over Malaga - and their most recent LaLiga outing ended in a 3-0 defeat to Barcelona, a result that exposed the gulf between the two sides.

Getafe were back in action on Thursday, travelling to Romania to face Universitatea Craiova in the UEFA Conference League at the Stadionul Ion Oblemenco.

Assad Al-Hamlawi gave the home side the lead in the 59th minute, before Nemanja Gudelj pulled Getafe level in the 81st minute to earn a 1-1 draw - a point that does little to lift the mood ahead of Monday’s derby.

Rayo Vallecano, meanwhile, arrived at the Coliseum having played one fewer league game than their hosts, after their home fixture against Athletic Club on October 10 was abandoned during the first half due to fan protests against club president and owner Raul Martin Presa.

Despite that disruption, Benat San Jose’s side have matched Getafe’s eight-point tally from three fewer games played, sitting 13th with two wins, two draws and three defeats from their seven completed matches.

Los Franjirrojos’ most recent finished LaLiga encounter was a 1-1 draw away to Osasuna at the Estadio El Sadar, and with a game in hand over several sides around them, a win on Monday would allow Rayo to leap up the standings considerably.

The head-to-head record between the two clubs over the course of their history slightly favours Rayo, who have won 14 of the 31 previous meetings, with nine draws and eight victories for Getafe.

The more recent record, however, tells a different story for Bordalas’s men - Getafe have not won any of the last 10 encounters, with Rayo claiming four victories and six draws, four of which ended goalless.

Getafe La Liga form:

Getafe form (all competitions):

Rayo Vallecano La Liga form:

Rayo Vallecano form (all competitions):

Team News

Christantus Uche and Juanmi are both ruled out for Getafe through injury and will play no part on Monday evening.

Ivan Azon is a doubt due to physical discomfort, and Enes Unal is also uncertain ahead of the derby, giving Bordalas a headache in attack.

Ramon Terrats is a major doubt with a shoulder injury, while Zaid Romero, who suffered a left quadriceps strain during the defeat to Barcelona, also remains a doubt for this fixture.

Andres Garcia is another concern after being forced off against Barcelona, and his availability will be assessed ahead of kickoff.

For Rayo Vallecano, Sergio Camello heads into the derby as one of the standout performers in LaLiga this season, having scored seven goals, and the forward will be eager to add to that tally against Getafe.

Augusto Batalla remains sidelined with a broken leg, while Andrei Ratiu is unavailable with muscular discomfort.

Luis Felipe will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn ACL - a devastating blow for the defender, who had only recently returned from a long-term hamstring operation.

Getafe possible starting lineup:

Soria; Carvajal, Djene, Valou, Davinchi; Gudelj, Serrano; Kiko, Martin, Satriano; Mayoral

Rayo Vallecano possible starting lineup:

Audero; Pedrosa, Lejeune, Sadick, Balliu; Valentin, Ciss, Lopez; Garcia, Camello, Frutos

We say: Getafe 1-1 Rayo Vallecano

Getafe’s legs will be heavy after Thursday’s European trip, and a side that has not beaten Rayo in their last 10 meetings will need to be at their sharpest to end that run against a Camello-inspired visiting side.

Rayo have the game in hand and the better recent head-to-head record, but this fixture’s tendency to produce draws- six of the last 10 have ended level- makes another share of the spoils the most likely outcome on a testing Monday evening at the Coliseum.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match, please click here.