Title challengers Real Madrid will attempt to put right one of last season’s wrongs as they bid to keep pace with Spanish Primera Liga rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid this weekend.
Madrid were beaten 2-1 on their last derby visit to Getafe as Juan Valera and Abdelaziz Barrada – now at Al Jazira – struck to secure a surprise win for the minnows.
There is unlikely to be a repeat of that scoreline, however, even if Madrid are without star player Cristiano Ronaldo.
Getafe have not won in the league since November while Carlo Ancelotti’s men have lost just twice in the competition all season – to Barca and Atleti, who last night beat Valladolid 3-0.
Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has also spoken of his pleasure at the team’s recent improvement in defence, having conceded just three times in 2014.
The Spain international told reporters: “A few months ago everyone was saying our defence was a joke and now everyone is talking about how solid we are. But the interests of the team come first. We have made amends, now we have a very clear idea of how we want to play.”
Ronaldo sits out the trip to Coliseum Alfonso Perez as he serves the second match of a three-game suspension. With Getafe just four points above the relegation zone, midfielder Angel Lafita concedes the task is a daunting one.
He said: “Real Madrid are the worst team we could face at the moment, given the situation we find ourselves in, but we beat them last season and you never know where the points you need are going to come from.
“Of course we are excited about the game, because no one likes losing or going so many weeks without winning. The fans and the team deserve a victory and we hope we can get one on Sunday.”
Atletico ended a run of three consecutive defeats in the league and cup and moved clear at the top of the table, for a few hours at least, as two goals inside the first four minutes guided them to a 3-0 win over Valladolid. Raul Garcia opened the scoring from a well-worked free kick after three minutes before Diego Costa lofted in his 25th goal of the season 60 seconds later. Diego Godin rounded off the scoring when he headed home the third 17 minutes from time.
The victory takes Atletico’s season tally to 60 points. Barcelona hosted Rayo Vallecano in yesterday’s late game. “The key was the intensity that the players started with. Going 2-0 ahead allowed us to relax and once it went 3-0 even more so,” said Atletico coach Diego Simeone.
However, the Argentine continued to play down his side’s chances of fighting for the title against their more illustrious rivals.
“We continue to go minute by minute. We are happy to be top of the league ... but there is still 14 games to go, which is a lot.”
