Basement side Almeria's search for their first victory of the 2023-24 La Liga campaign will continue in the Spanish capital on Saturday evening, when they take on Getafe at Estadio Coliseum.
The visitors are rock bottom of the table, collecting only three points from their first 13 matches, while Getafe are in 11th position, picking up 16 points from their opening 13 games of the season.
Match preview
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Getafe have very much been the draw specialists in Spain's top flight this season, sharing the points in seven of their 13 matches, while they have also posted three wins and three defeats, with a total of 16 points leaving them in 11th position in the division.
Jose Bordalas's side are unbeaten in all competitions since a 4-3 loss to Real Sociedad in the league at the end of September, drawing six and winning two of their last eight matches.
Getafe have won two of their last three, meanwhile, including a 12-0 success over Tardienta in the Copa del Rey at the start of the month before recording a 1-0 victory over Cadiz in Spain's top flight.
The capital side entered the international break off the back of a 1-1 draw with Granada, though, and they have shared the points in six of their last seven league encounters.
The Deep Blue Ones have finished 15th in each of their last three seasons in Spain's top flight, so there is certainly room for improvement this term, and they have proven to be difficult to beat in the opening three months of the new campaign.
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Almeria only narrowly avoided relegation from Spain's top flight last season, finishing in 17th position, and there is no getting away from the fact that it has been a tough opening to this campaign.
La Union have drawn three and lost 10 of their 13 league matches this season to collect three points, which has left them in 20th position, six points behind 17th-placed Mallorca.
UDA are the only team in Spain's top flight yet to win a match this season, but they did manage to record a 2-0 victory over Talavera in the Copa del Rey at the end of October.
Each of their last five league matches have ended in defeats, including a 3-1 reverse to Real Sociedad before the international break, with their last point in La Liga coming at the start of October against Granada.
Gaizka Garitano arrived as head coach on October 8 as a replacement for Vicente Moreno, but he has also found it difficult to secure positive results at the helm, losing each of his four league games in charge, and it does appear that it could be a very difficult campaign for the Andalusian outfit.
Team News
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Getafe will be missing two players through injury on Saturday, with Mauro Arambarri and Enes Unal both on the sidelines with long-term knee issues.
However, the squad will be boosted by the return of Djene Dakonam, who is expected to return to the starting side in central midfield this weekend.
On-loan Manchester United attacker Mason Greenwood should retain his spot in a wide area, while Borja Mayoral has seven league goals to his name this term and will again lead the line.
As for Almeria, Marko Milovanovic, Ibrahima Kone, Luis Suarez, Marc Pubill and Martin Svidersky will miss the match due to injury problems.
Alex Centelles is also a doubt, so their squad is stretched at the moment, with head coach Garitano not exactly having a host of experienced replacements at this level.
The team is expected to be similar to the one that took to the field for the first whistle against Real Sociedad before the international break, although Gonzalo Melero could be introduced in a wide position.
Getafe possible starting lineup:
Soria; Suarez, Alvarez, Alderete, Rico; Maksimovic, Dakonam; Carmona, Alena, Greenwood; Mayoral
Almeria possible starting lineup:
Maximiano; Mendes, Chumi, Gonzalez, Akieme; Lopy, Robertone; Embarba, Arribas, Melero; Baptistao
We say: Getafe 1-0 Almeria
Getafe are not losing at the moment, but they are finding it difficult to win, and Almeria certainly have the quality to avoid defeat this weekend. We are expecting a very tight game in terms of the scoreline but believe that Getafe will be able to pick up all three points courtesy of a narrow success.
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