Saturday's La Liga action begins with Getafe's visit to the Estadio Jose Zorrilla for their crucial clash with 18th-placed Real Valladolid.
Getafe's convincing 3-0 victory over Valencia last weekend went a long way in dispelling rumours that Los Azulones boss Jose Bordalas was destined for the sack. Three points on Saturday could decisively put those rumours to bed.
Match preview
© Reuters
Sergio's embattled Real Valladolid side have certainly been circling the kitchen sink in recent weeks, and the side are beginning to look a lot like favourites for the drop.
Los Pucelanos have won just one game so far in 2021 and they have only picked up four points from their last eight league ties.
The ray of hope for Sergio's men in this tie stems from the fact that their last three points came against Getafe in early January.
Trusted marksman Shon Weissman was the goalscorer in that 1-0 victory and Sergio will no doubt hope the Israel international can bag another this weekend.
Ultimately, Sergio will need his attackers to do the business because Valladolid's defence has been exceptionally poor this season. So far, the side's backline has gathered just two clean sheets.
Against Celta Vigo last time out, Los Pucelanos were deprived of three points due to an injury-time equaliser from Jeison Murillo, with the game ending 1-1.
© Reuters
Getafe ended a four-match losing streak last weekend with an emphatic 3-0 victory over a Valencia side that has struggled for form all season.
Prior to kick-off, there was an abundance of rumours in the Spanish press suggesting that Bordalas's time at Getafe might be quickly coming to a close.
If rumours are anything to go by, Bordalas's Los Azulones will have to pick up another three points this weekend to ensure the longevity of the Alicante-born coach's tenure at the club.
Against Valencia, Getafe finally exhibited the full extent of their abilities and the final result was devastating for Javi Gracia's side.
Jaime Mata and Carles Alena, who were both left out of the side's 1-0 defeat to Real Betis, ended up bagging decisive goals for El Geta, a reminder of how valuable creative players are in Spain's top flight.
Currently 13th in the standings, Bordalas's Getafe side have managed to put some crucial distance between themselves and the relegation zone. However, three points this weekend could go a long way in retaining the club's La Liga credentials.
Real Valladolid La Liga form: DLLDLD
Real Valladolid form (all competitions): LLLDLD
Getafe La Liga form: DLLLLW
Team News
© Reuters
Bordalas made a series of changes to his side last weekend and a number of players could retain their spots in the starting XI after impressive performances. Goalscorer Mata is likely to keep his spot up front for Los Azulones.
Bordalas has no fresh injury concerns coming into this tie and will have a fully fit squad to choose from.
Sergio will be without regulars Pablo Hervias and Maranhao for this fixture.
Other notable absentees include defenders Raul Garcia and Javi Sanchez.
Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:
Roberto; Janko, Bruno, Fernandez, Olaza; Plano, Mesa, Ruben Alcaraz, Orellana; Weissman, Guardiola
Getafe possible starting lineup:
Soria; Suarez, Djene, Cabaco, Olivera; Nyom, Arambarri, Alena, Maksimovic, Cucurella; Mata
We say: Real Valladolid 1-2 Getafe
Relegation-threatened Valladolid represent a very different animal in comparison to Valencia and Getafe could have trouble breaking down Sergio's side. Ultimately, we think Los Azulones have what it takes to pick up another significant victory.
Top tip
Francis Buchanan
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Getafe win with a probability of 41.43%. A draw had a probability of 29.7% and a win for Real Valladolid had a probability of 28.88%.
The most likely scoreline for a Getafe win was 0-1 with a probability of 14.38%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 0-2 (8.42%) and 1-2 (7.8%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (13.31%), while for a Real Valladolid win it was 1-0 (11.37%). The actual scoreline of 2-1 was predicted with a 6.2% likelihood.
