Getafe: there is life beyond the derby in La Liga

It is nonetheless true that Betis loses very little. So much so that, failing to play Real Madrid in the first round (they will do so when they return from the Christmas holidays on January 4 at the Bernabéu), so far they have only accumulated three defeats in 16 league matches, all three at La Cartuja and against teams that are competing in the Champions League this season, such as Athletic Club, Atlético de Madrid and Barcelona. Facing the fourth Champions team that Pellegrini’s team has faced this season, Villarreal, they obtained a draw at the last minute at La Cerámica thanks to Antony’s double. But it is also difficult for them to win more matches, since they have seven draws. So much so that Betis is, along with Celta and Elche, the team with the most draws in La Liga so far. There are those who think that drawing as a visitor is not so bad, so this one is only missing the two points lost at home against Girona. But there are matches and matches, and perhaps at least the points against Levante, the bottom of the Primera, or Rayo, where Betis left an unambitious image of wanting to win the match, should have fallen into the Betic bag in their fight to remain established in the privileged positions of the championship.

The progress of the Greens and Whites in the Europa League and Cup, at least for the moment, is good. In the continental competition, Pellegrini’s team is undefeated and fourth, leading a group of three teams with 14 points, only one of the leaders, Lyon, which Betis won decisively at La Cartuja; the surprising Midtjylland and Aston Villa, perhaps one of the main favorites, due to the level of the English championship, to win the tournament. The Betic team must do things very badly against PAOK Thessaloniki and Feyenoord to avoid finishing among the top eight who will get a direct ticket to the round of 16 and thus avoid the uncomfortable draw in February. In the Copa del Rey, solvency has been the predominant trend in the three confrontations played so far against lower category teams, against Palma del Río (1-7), Torrent (1-4) and Murcia (0-2), and now a rival awaits for the round of 16, which could be a first or second team.

So it’s time to win again in La Liga, and against Getafe, who is the next rival. Those of Bordalás arrive at La Cartuja with the open wound of elimination in the Copa del Rey against a Second Division team, Burgos (3-1), a “hard blow” in the words of the Alicante coach himself. In the championship, tranquility has so far marked the progress of the Blues. With 20 points, the Madrid team is halfway between relegation (15 points from Girona) and Europe (25 from Betis precisely), therefore, and even more so now that it only has one competition left, it is also for it to begin to define itself in the league tournament.

Manuel Pellegrini recovers Marc Roca for the match against Getafe. The Catalan midfielder was unable to travel to Murcia due to a shoulder contusion suffered during Monday’s duel in Vallecas against Rayo. Roca is back in a group in which Abde, Amrabat, Bakambu, Diego Llorente, Isco and Junior still do not appear. These are the six absences of the Chilean coach for the match and, therefore, he will only wear the green and white jersey again next year. In the eleven, there will still be news. Valles, who is having a great moment, will return to goal. In defense, the possibility opens up for Bellerín and Ricardo to play full-backs and for Natan to play alongside Valentín Gómez in the center of defense. In attack, Marc Roca will be alongside Deossa, while in attack, Antony, Fornals and Riquelme will appear behind Cucho Hernández. There are also options for Lo Celso to come into the XI. If the Rosario man plays initially, either he or Fornals will drop to the left zone and the other will be the playmaker, which will bring Riquelme back to the bench. Betis must somehow regain the verticality it lost in the last few matches after Abde left for the African Cup.

In the Madrid team, Abqar was injured during the Cup duel with a muscle tear that will cause him to miss tomorrow’s match in Seville. Bordalás will also not be able to count on Davinchi, who has been injured for a long time, at least until March. Juanmi has already returned to the game but is not expected to start. The Alicante coach has the good news that Luis Milla, after serving a match suspension against Espanyol for the consecutive red card against Villarreal, will return to his team’s midfield.