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)