Alavés-Getafe, the abyss or the glory in just three points

Alavés, with the water around their necks due to their proximity to the relegation stations, and Getafe, about to take the last step to lose their European place, will face off at the Mendizorroza Stadium with their eyes on a rear-view mirror that reflects the difference of three points that separate both from the abyss or from glory.

The albiazules, who improved their image against Real Madrid, continue without obtaining positive results that certify a salvation that has been complicated after the break.

The arrival of coach Juan Ramón López Muñiz corrected the staging of the people of Vitoria who sign the worst figures in the First Division with only three points out of 24 possible.

This has placed the Glorioso in a delicate situation in the classification with only three points plus the ‘average’ over Mallorca, the team that marks the relegation places.

In addition, the physical situation of the team begins to take its toll in the form of injuries and players such as Rubén Duarte and Fernando Pacheco will not be able to dress short.

Ismael Gutiérrez and Javi López were unable to travel to Valdebebas last day and are doubtful for this duel, while Ximo Navarro will miss Getafe’s visit by having to be substituted on Friday against the white team.

In the bands, Oliver Burke and Édgar Méndez could be in charge of printing the speed that the Asturian coach likes, who will keep the pair formed by Lucas Pérez and Joselu Mato on edge.

Alavés and Getafe have three points of cushion to breathe in the last three days. One more failure, along with the success of their pursuers, could leave either of them in a compromised situation in different contexts.

Getafe’s goal is to play or not next season in Europe. After occupying one of the first seven positions for a long stretch of the course and even dreaming of the Champions League, the poor results of Bordalás’ men after the resumption of the championship have gradually undermined his options.

In total, he accumulates only 7 of the 24 possible points he has contested after the three-month hiatus. In addition, it chains two consecutive defeats against Real Madrid (1-0) and Villarreal (1-3). Both occurred practically from the penalty spot with three shots that Bordalás considers unfair.

Those of Villarreal brought more serious consequences. In the impotence for the defeat, several Getafe players, after the crash and on the way to the locker room, were involved in a brawl with some of the Castellón team with the result of three expelled.

Of them, Xabier Extxeita and Damián Suárez were sanctioned with three games and will miss the rest of LaLiga. The third, Frenchman Allan Nyom, will not be able to play against Alavés. They will be joined by striker Ángel Rodríguez, who will complete his card cycle and Nigerian midfielder Peter Etebo, who is not overcoming physical discomfort.

Bordalás has only been able to recover Uruguayan central defender Erick Cabaco, who has missed six days due to injury, and Jorge Molina, who did not face Villarreal due to accumulation of cards. In the end, with both, he has been able to complete a list with 19 players, including the youth squads Marcos Lavín, Hugo Duro and Florent Poulolo.

To fix the messy defense caused by so much loss, the Getafe coach could delay Jason Remeseiro to the right side and put Francisco Portillo or Moroccan Fayçal Fajr in the center of the field. In the center of the defense, Chema Rodríguez will occupy the space of Etxeita. The rest of the team, with the doubt of Hugo Duro or Jorge Molina in attack, will be the same one that lost to Villarreal.