UEFA cup quarter final Second leg: Getafe vs. Bayern

Before going into the first leg game, German legend Franz Beckenbauer admitted he didn’t know who Getafe was. He will now know only too well that this Spanish outfit is not to be trusted as Getafe is capable of the best and the worst football in Europe. The Spanish minnows surprisingly scored a late equalizer at the Allianz Arena last week and now have a good advantage going into the second leg at Getafe’s Coliseum stadium, although the players will only be too aware of how difficult a task this elimination is going to be. Perhaps the Germans in the first tie didn’t quite understand Getafe’s great strength against stronger opponents, but they will certainly who now.

Getafe pulled off another surprise result at the weekend by holding Barcelona to a nil – nil draw at the Nou Camp in their domestic league, and are now one of just three teams to pick up points there this season. After this quarter final match they must take on crisis hit Zaragoza in the league and then they will travel to Atlético Madrid’s Calderon stadium to dispute the final of the King’s cup against Valencia. All in all it has been a very productive season so far for the for the modest side, and it is plainly obvious that they are not playing with any kind of pressure, which is down to coach Michael Laudrup. He was criticized at the start of the season for being a bit too soft, but has gone to proved his detractors wrong.

With Getafe’s stadium set to be full to the rafters for the first time in the club’s history, Bayern will have to expect a very hostile environment. I am going for a shock elimination of the German giants as Getafe are a very confident, calm and organized squad commended by a coach who has a lot of experience at this level of football. Bayern might be leaders of the Bundesliga, but they have missed playing in the Champions League this season and not having that top class opposition might well cost them dearly. If they try to go all out for an early goal Getafe will simply soak up the pressure and crate attacks on the counter, and this will be their secret of beating another big club.

Prediction: Home win (2-1)

UEFA cup quarter final first leg: Bayern vs. Getafe

Getafe like the title of giant killers and they are making quite a name for themselves both in their domestic league and in the UEFA cup. This season they have beaten the likes of Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, Barcelona, and Sevilla in La Liga and have beaten Tottenham Hotspur, Anderlecht and Benfica (twice). Now they go into their toughest match yet. On paper Bayern are the clear favorites, and I doubt very much whether Getafe will have the experience or fresh legs to try and change the fact. If this match had come a couple of months before I might have given Getafe a chance, but as it is with the season almost over, Getafe’s players really need a rest. Unfortunately that is going to be impossible, as after this game they travel to the Nou Camp to take on Barcelona in the league, then the second leg of this match when they receive Bayern at their Coliseum stadium, then after playing Zaragoza they take on Valencia in the final of the King’s cup, and all in sixteen days!

As for Bayern, their main aim this season is to get back in the Champions League competition. This they will do as they are currently leading the Bundesliga and have lost just two games from the twenty six matches played. What’s more, they have only conceded fifteen goals in the league and have a seven point cushion over second placed Hamburg. They lost their last UEFA cup match by two goals to one against Anderlecht, but the first leg ended in a clear five nil win for the Germans and coach Ottmar Hitzfeld wanted to reserve his top players.

In team news, Getafe coach Michael Laudrup won’t be able to call on Lucas Licht as he is suspended, but Pablo Hernandez and David Belenguer should be fit on time, which leaves just the Argentinean defender Cato Diaz as the only injured player in the squad.

Bayern could be without Lukas Podolski after he picked up an ankle injury in their away draw at the weekend against Nuremberg, but Frenchman Willy Sagnol will almost certainly miss the game after suffering from a slipped disk.

Bayern will be clear favorites to win here, but it won’t be a five nil thrashing like the Anderlecht game. Getafe are very well composed at the back and will probably wait to attack on the break. A narrow win then for the home side, with the tie being decided in the second leg.

Prediction: Home win (2-1)

Murcia vs Getafe

9/3-  Murcia have proved to be one of the weakest teams in this Laliga season and with their elimination almost certain they are playing for pride but there is no such reflection in the team’s performances over the past few weeks. They have lost their last 4 matches and are languishing at the second last position on the points table and this week they take on the 10^th placed team, Getafe at home. The only match between these two sides had happened earlier this season and Getafe had managed a victory with a 2-0 score while playing at home and would be looking for something similar this time as well. Getafe made a strong statement a couple of weeks ago by handing Real Madrid their first home defeat of this Laliga season and they would be looking for a full three points to try and stabilize their spot in the top half of the table. While the visiting team is in decent form the home fans would be hoping to see their team perform well at least at home.

Murcia would want to do well especially after the 4-0 drubbing they got at the hands of Real Betis in the away tie last week. Also the last time they won a match was in the first week of January and they would like to improve on that as well. The last time they scored a goal was also four matches ago and that shows that the team is really low on form and confidence.

Getafe on the other hand were held to a 3-3 draw by Mallorca in a home tie last week but the team is doing a good job overall. It is important that the team is able to stay together and perform the job on hand as they have not had any outstanding solo performer but their good work has resulted from contribution from all players.

Prediction: 1-2, Getafe win

Getafe vs Mallorca

3/2- Getafe have managed to get a lot of attention after their victory against real Madrid last week. The team currently placed 10^th on the points table was able to upset Real Madrid, that too on their home ground, something that no other team has done throughout this season. After such a moral boosting result they are back at home and would play hosts to Mallorca this weekend. Mallorca are currently placed a couple of positions below the home team on the 12^th spot they would be entering the match after having drawn their last 4 matches. The last time both this teams had played each other was earlier this season and Mallorca had managed to win the match with a 4-2 score line and they also are better off when we look at the overall records for both the sides however on the basis of current form Getafe might just hold the edge over Mallorca and more so as they are the home team and have a decent home record as well.

Getafe fans would be hoping to see their team bring in the magic they exhibited in the away tie last week and three points here could mean that the side can surely climb some places on the points table and also start planning for probably a top 5 finish if they can upset the teams above them. The biggest strength for Getafe is the team effort their players have put as they are in the top 10 without any striker scoring more than 3 goals this season.

Mallorca would have to be careful as they would be visiting to play a side in supreme confidence and since Mallorca are just three points above the relegation zone they cannot afford a slip at this stage. Mallorca were able to draw their last match against Real Betis at home and a similar result here would be fine as well.

Prediction: 2-0, Getafe win

Real Madrid vs Getafe

24/2- Real Madrid are probably trying to bring in some life to the competition as they were sailing along with a great margin and all of a sudden they lost 2 matches in a period of three matches, cutting down their lead to just 5 points. Both the losses were in matches away from home while the last match the leaders played at home they beat Valladolid 7-0, hence they would be quite confident when they take on Getafe this week. Getafe are placed 13^th on the points table and are a mixed bag team, their last 10 matches have resulted 2 draws, three wins and 5 losses while the leaders have won 8 of their last 10 matches while lost just two. The home crowd will be a definite advantage for Real Madrid and they would not be satisfied in anything less than 3 points from this match. When both these teams faced each other earlier this season Real Madrid had won 0-1, in an away tie.

Real Madrid have won all the 11 matches played at home this season and a team like Getafe does not appear to have the power to stop them. After the defeat last week the players would be on high alert as they cannot afford to give Barca a sniff of a chance. Van Nistelrooy, Raul and Robinho have been the three goal scoring players for the leading Spanish side and they would be expected to deliver this time.

Getafe on the other hand would be hoping for at least a point from this match as dreaming of beating Real Madrid at home this season is like seeing a dream. Getafe would be happy after they were able to hold Valencia to a draw in a home tie last week but facing Real Madrid away from home will be a challenge in itself.

Prediction: 3-0, Real Madrid win

Getafe vs Valencia

17/2- Valencia started of the season in great style and were thought to be the title contenders along with Real Madrid and Barcelona however then they started losing the grip and faced a series of loses and uncharacteristic performances. However in the last two weeks they have managed a couple of victories which has brought back hope to the fans that the club would end on a high. The team now travels to take on 11^th placed Getafe in an away tie this week. Valencia would be highly optimistic about their chances as they have been the second best team travelling this season and their performances away from home have been much better than those at home. The last time both the teams met was earlier this season and they won the tie 2-1 playing at home. The record stand even overall as both teams have won 3 matches against each other in a total of seven matches with one match ending in a draw.

Valencia would be looking to take ahead the form they have regained and would be hoping that in the absence of Morientes, Villa Sanchez can continue the scoring as he has done in the past few games. Also they would be looking to climb a few spots with a victory and try and finish the season with a flourish and may be get an entry to the European championships next season.                                                                                                                         

Getafe on the other hand would want to convert the home support and the home record into a full three points, more than anything a victory could trigger them into the top half of the table and this would be a huge boost to the club’s morale. Though Getafe have not found any particular striker and hence the whole team would have to perform in unison to ensure some points from the tie.

Prediction: 1-2, Valencia win

UEFA cup: AEK vs. Getafe

This will be a very hard game to predict, but I think AEK Athens will just nick the match. Playing in front of Greek fans is always a hard task, and Getafe will face them for the first time in the game. Michael Laudrup’s side is having a so-so season, and seems to be more interested in their cup competitions than the league. They have qualified for the semi final of the King’s cup and if they get to face Barcelona in the final will be assured of another UEFA cup place next season even if they lose as Barca will qualify for the Champions League, barring a complete disaster for the Catalan side. Getafe’s league form has been pretty irregular all season, and last weekend they could only draw at home to Deportivo de la Coruña. A week before they lost to Espanyol away and so have slumped to twelfth place, just four points off the relegation zone.

AEK Athens meanwhile are in third place in the Greek first division and four points from leaders Panathinaikos after twenty matches. They have lost their last two league games and the UEFA cup comes as a needed distraction. AEK’s Spanish coach Lorenzo Serra Ferrer is no stranger to opposition from his home country but AEK haven’t had too much luck with Iberian sides. They lost at home to Villarreal in the group stage of the competition and twice to Sevilla in the Champions League group phase. In fact, the last time AEK beat a Spanish side was way back in the 1988/89 UEFA cup competition against Athletic Bilbao.

Although Getafe don’t have players with well known names, they form a solid group and defensively are very good. Their aim here will be to score at least once and take that advantage back with them to the Coliseum stadium where in my opinion the tie will be settled. The match in Greece will be very close and I doubt whether a definite favorite will be revealed. I’m going for a narrow home win and all set for the second leg showdown.

Prediction: Home win (2-1)

Deportivo La coruna vs Getafe

9/2- The competition at the bottom of the table is getting closer and the fight to keep out of the relegation zone is turning out to be more intense than the fight at the top of the table. With 4 teams locked near the bottom of the table on the same points each team is trying to keep away from the dreaded bottom three positions. Deportivo La Coruna have had a terrible season and only because of two victories in the last two matches they have been able to get out of the relegation zone where they spent most of their time this season. Though they are on the 17^th position they still have the threat of relegation as they are on the same points as Murica, which is placed 18^th on the table and is in the relegation zone. The only factor that has saved Deportivo is the higher goal difference. In such a situation they get ready to take on Getafe at home, Getafe are another team that are fighting the same threat, though they are better off on the 13^th spot the difference between them is just 4 points.

Deportivo have all of a sudden found a life line in their performances in the last two weeks, their last game against Real Betis ended in a victory for the side and getting a full three points of that match would have done a world of good to the confidence of the side. Guardado and Tejada would be expected to fire and score some important goals and secure important points for the side.

Getafe on the other hand would want at least a point of this match especially after they lost to Espanyol in the match they played last week, with a 0-1 margin.  A win for Getafe could propel them to near the top half of the table and this would make the tie even more interesting.

Prediction: 1-0, Deportivo win

Getafe vs Sevilla

19/1- Sevilla have been one of the better and most attacking team in LaLiga this season their ability to score a high number of goals ahs kept them in the top half of the table. They are just a couple of positions away from a European cup spot and are a point behind Valencia, they would be hoping to make the most of the lost form of Valencia and climb further up the table. Getafe, the home team, have been struggling all throughout the season, placed 15^th on the points table they are just a point above the relegation zone. The biggest advantage for Getafe will be that their opponents, Sevilla, have a terrible record while travelling and have been only able to win one of the 9 matches played away from home this season and have lost as many as 6 matches. Looking at the current form Sevilla have won 3 of their last 5 matches while Getafe have managed just a single victory accompanied by 4 losses in the last 5 matches.

Sevilla enter this match after they lost their match against Athletic Bilbao last week and would be expecting to get their second away win of the season when they visit Getafe. In Fabiano they have one of the finest strikers in the Spanish league. Alves is another player who can deliver a big performance for the club and provide the strikers set pieces to score from. They also will be aware of the fact that Getafe have lost their last two matches playing at home. The factor that the side would expect to be on their side this time is the luck which they have been missing for some time now.

Getafe are the home side and they would be aware that the opponents are quite a strong team, their efforts would be to get at least a point of this game so that they can possibly move away from the relegation zone.

Prediction: 1-2, draw

Getafe vs Valladolid

6/1- Getafe lie at the top of the bottom half of the points table and the 11th position is something they would like to improve from at the beginning of the second half of the laliga season. Getafe have been a team with no individual stars but they have been able to perform better that other teams due to the kind of football they play as a team. Their first match this new year is a home tie against Valladolid, placed 17th on the points table. Valladolid have struggled their way through the first half of the season and have been able to capture the 17th spot on the points table and are just out of the relegation zone because of the higher number of goals scored as compared to the 18th placed Real Betis.

Valladolid had been struggling before the break commenced and that is an indicator of their very low position on the table. In the last 3 matches played they drew 2 matches and lost one hence they do not appear to be in striking form at all and the last match they played was a dull draw against a lowly ranked Real Betis. It is the striking ability of Llorente and Gutirrez that has let them be out of the relegation zone but if the team defense does not respond the club might be in deeper trouble especially against a unit like Getafe. It is important for the side that they can start getting some points because if they fail to they might as well find themselves in the bottom 3.

Getafe on the other hand are quite reprieved of the relegation zone pressure, their aim would be to enter the top half of the table and with a struggling opponent like Valladolid they would be going for an outright victory. Their last match against Almeria was an impressive away win and they would like to continue the trend.

Prediction: 2-0, Getafe win

Next Page »