Preview: Getafe vs. Valencia - prediction, team news, lineups

Valencia will be bidding to make it four wins in a row in all competitions when they travel to Getafe in Spain's top flight on Saturday evening.

Los Che, who occupy ninth position in the table, will enter the contest off the back of a 3-1 win over Granada, while 15th-placed Getafe suffered a 2-0 defeat to Espanyol last time out.

Match preview

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Getafe have won six, drawn nine and lost 12 of their 27 league matches this season to collect 27 points, which has left them in 15th spot in the table, just three points clear of the relegation zone.

The Deep Blue Ones finished eighth, fifth and eighth in La Liga between 2018 and 2020 before claiming 15th last term, and it has been another tough season for the capital side, who are in the relegation mix.

Quique Sanchez Flores's side will enter this weekend's contest off the back of a 2-0 defeat at Espanyol last weekend, meaning that they have picked up just two points from the last 12 available.

Considering their position in the table, Getafe have been impressive at home this season, picking up 21 points from 13 matches, and their form in front of their own supporters will surely play a key role in whether they avoid relegation to the second tier for the 2022-23 campaign.

The capital outfit lost 1-0 to Valencia in the reverse match earlier this season, but they recorded a 3-0 victory when the two teams locked horns for the corresponding fixture last term.

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Valencia, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 3-1 win over Granada last weekend, with Goncalo Guedes, Maxi Gomez and Carlos Soler on the scoresheet at Mestalla.

Los Che also beat Mallorca in the league at the end of February, while they booked their spot in the final of the Copa del Rey earlier this month courtesy of a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the second leg of their semi-final.

Valencia finished 13th in Spain's top flight last season - their worst campaign since claiming 14th in 1987-88 - but it does appear that there will be an improvement this term, with a total of 36 points from 27 matches currently leaving them in ninth position.

Jose Bordalas's side are only four points behind fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao but sit eight points off the top six, so a push towards the European positions is unlikely at this stage of the campaign.

The six-time Spanish champions have struggled for consistency on their travels this season, winning four, drawing three and losing six of their 13 matches to collect 15 points, which is only the 10th-best away record in the division.

Team News

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Getafe will have Carles Alena, Jorge Cuenca and Damian Suarez available once again following suspensions, while the home side have no fresh injuries to report.

Alena and Suarez are expected to return to the starting XI on Saturday, with Juan Iglesias and Florentino Luis potentially dropping down to the bench.

Head coach Flores is unlikely to make any alterations further forward, though, with Borja Mayoral set to partner Enes Unal once again, so Sandro Ramirez might have to accept a spot on the bench.

As for Valencia, Ilaix Moriba and Omar Alderete are available once again following suspensions, but the away side will be without a number of players through injury.

Indeed, Maxi Gomez, Toni Lato, Mouctar Diakhaby, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Jose Gaya, Thierry Correia and Jasper Cillessen are all set to miss the game through fitness concerns.

Lato's absence will open the door for Jesus Vazquez to feature at left-back, while Hugo Duro is expected to take the place of Gomez, who was also injured against Granada last time out.

Bryan Gil and Helder Costa, though, are likely to remain on the bench, with Guedes and Andre set to continue in the wide areas for the visitors on Saturday.

Getafe possible starting lineup:
Soria; Dakonam, Mitrovic, Cabaco; Suarez, Alena, Maksimovic, Rodriguez, Olivera; Unal, Mayoral

Valencia possible starting lineup:
Domenech; Foulquier, Alderete, Guillamon, Vazquez; Musah, Moriba, Soler; Guedes, Duro, Andre

We say: Getafe 1-2 Valencia

Valencia will be missing a number of important players for this match, but the visitors will be full of confidence due to their impressive form, and we believe that Los Che will have enough quality to shade a close match, with Guedes potentially on the scoresheet once again.

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