La Liga: The ‘Home Banker’ where Getafe have Nothing to Lose

Real Madrid vs Getafe

The runaway La Liga leaders against the 14^th placed team.

The hosts spearheaded by Karim Benzema who is 10 goals clear in the race for the La Liga Golden Boot with 24 goals, at a rate of 1.01 per 90 minutes, with an impressive 11 assists thrown in for good measure.

Throw in another impressive Champions League hat-trick at the home of the European champions in midweek and it is obvious why the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds insist this is a home banker.

I do too.

Incidentally, Benzema has now netted 70 goals for the La Liga giants in the Champions League alone, three ahead of club legend Raul (66) and behind only another club legend, Cristiano Ronaldo (105).

Yet with this match sandwiched between the first and second leg of that tie and Real well out in front in La Liga, this could well be closer than many suspect.

Talking Points

Why shouldn’t it be.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men will likely have half their mind on Europe and, regardless of the result against Getafe, are well on course for a second league title in three years.

Their only real concern centres on defender Eder Militao who has been cleared to play despite suffering a knock against Chelsea, although the Brazilian is suspended for the second leg next week so Ancelotti may decide to select Nacho.

Regardless of the personnel, it’s no mean task for Getafe who face not only the highest scorers in La Liga this term (69), but also the team with the second-best defensive record in the division behind Sevilla, having only conceded 26 times in their 30 matches.

Real also have the best home record in La Liga this season, picking up 34 points from their 15 matches,

For Getafe, Sabit Abdulai remains out with a knee injury, while Mauro Arambarri is suspended. Jorge Cuenca and Jakub Jankto are both back from bans though, while Jaime Mata could be included if he recovers from injury.

In the visitors’ favour, Quique Sanchez Flores’s side have only lost one of their last six league matches, drawing four times, and they are seemingly quite comfortable – six points ahead of the relegation zone with eight matches left.

That is a fine position given that when Flores – who guided Atletico Madrid to a Europa League and UEFA Super Cup double in 2010 – arrived at the club earlier this season, they had taken one point from their first eight matches,

On the flipside, they have not won a single away game in La Liga this season and have not beaten Real in Madrid in the league since February 2008.

Despite being outsiders, if they are to create La Liga highlights in the Bernabeu, now may well be the best opportunity.

History

In 33 meetings between the sides, Getafe have tasted defeat on 23 occasions with a further four draws.

Of their six victories, one came earlier this season, at the turn of the year in fact, a rare Real reversal when Enes Unal’s ninth minute strike proved the perfect start to 2022 for Getafe.

The last time and indeed the only time Getafe have won on Real turf was in February 2008 when Ikechukwu Uche netted the only goal in another major shock.

The managers that day were Bernd Schuster (Madrid) and Michael Laudrup (Getafe).

This corresponding fixture last season saw Real triumph 2-0, thanks to two goals in six second half minutes from Benzema and Ferland Mendy.

The year before also saw Real inch closer to the La Liga title, something I expect to happen this weekend.

Betting Tip

Real 1X2@ 1.41 or Getafe 1X2 @ 7.80?

It would take a brave man to opt for the latter, or even the draw which is on offer @ 4.30.

Likewise, it is clear where the Asian Handicap betting odds are leaning which include Real -1.50 @ 2.29 and Getafe +1.00 @ 2.28.

If Getafe were somehow to record another 1-0 success, then Correct Score 0-1 will pay out @ 18.00, with Real tipped @ 5.40 to record another 2-0 victory.

I do think there will be goals in this encounter and, among the options, you can see over 2.50 goals @ 2.05, over 2.75 goals @ 2.31, total goal 0-1 @ 3.05, 4-6 @ 3.80 and 2-3 @ 1.94.

That latter option did tempt me but I’ve decided to plump between Half Time Full Time Home Home @ 1.95 or, my eventual choice, Half Time Full Time Draw Home @ 4.00 as my *** prediction.

 

●●●

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS

Stay updated with everything sports and betting.

Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.