Getafe reclaimed fourth position in La Liga courtesy of a goalless draw against Real Madrid on Thursday night.
Sevilla had moved into the final Champions League place with a 5-0 success over Rayo Vallecano earlier in the evening, but El Geta held Los Blancos - now six points off second-placed Atletico Madrid - to a draw to return to fourth spot.
Read how it all unfolded in Sports Mole's minute-by-minute live commentary of the action below.
Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of the La Liga clash between Getafe and Real Madrid from the Coliseum Alfonso Perez. Getafe have dropped to fifth in Spain's top flight with Sevilla beating Rayo Vallecano earlier tonight as the battle for the final Champions League spot heats up. Madrid, meanwhile, remain third but are now seven points off second-placed Atletico Madrid and a huge 16 points behind division leaders Barcelona, who can win the title this weekend. Stay tuned!
TEAMS!
GETAFE: Soria; Bruno, Miquel, Damian, Cabrera; Mata, Maksimovic, Arambarri, Olivera; Duro, Molina
MADRID: Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Nacho, Reguilon; Casemiro, Valverde, Isco; Brahim, Benzema, Bale
Zinedine Zidane has made six changes to the team that started the win over Athletic Bilbao at the weekend. In come Nacho, Sergio Reguilon, Federico Valverde, Isco, Brahim Diaz and Gareth Bale, with Marco Asensio amongst those to drop out. Very much an experimental XI tonight!
As for Getafe, the main team news surrounding the home side is the absence of outstanding centre-back Djene Dakonam, who is suspended following his red card against Sevilla at the weekend. Damian Suarez and Mathias Olivera are both back from bans, though, and come into the starting XI. Looks to be a 4-4-2 formation for the Madrid side once again.
KICKOFF: Madrid kick things off here...
... this is a very, very big game for Getafe, who have dropped to fifth following Sevilla's win over Rayo Vallecano. The home supporters have turned out in their numbers tonight.
CHANCE! Big chance for the away side to make the breakthrough as Benzema races into the Getafe box before looking to pick out the bottom corner, but the ball just moves wide of the post!
Possession football for the home side in the last couple of minutes, but no chances to report. You do get the feeling that the first goal - if there indeed is one - could be huge here.
SAVE! Comfortable save for Navas to keep out a strike from Olivera.
SHOT! Reguilon breaks down the left for the away side before looking to pick out Benzema, but Getafe clear their lines. Eventually Valverde has a strike, but it flies over.
It is a very even game at the moment with both teams committing players in the final third. Getafe have every right to be confident here and they seem to really fancy it.
Bale drives down the left before looking to pick out Brahim inside the Getafe box, but Miguel makes the clearance. Bale really needs to make an impact for the away side tonight.
Mata is the player at the far post as a corner into the Madrid box threatens to cause problems, but the away side manage to clear their lines with Navas doing well under pressure.
Getafe keep the pressure on with another two corners in quick succession, but Cabrera jumps too high and Madrid can break through Benzema, who is brought to the ground.
Madrid have the chance to threaten from a free kick in a decent position, but Isco misses everyone and Getafe have a goal kick. Still goalless with 16 minutes on the clock here.
Madrid are attempting to get things going in the middle of the park, but Getafe are biting into the challenges and there is little room to operate. Benzema once again looks Madrid's best bet in the final third, but Getafe have a threat through Duro, Molina and Mata in the early minutes.
Still goalless with 20 on the clock and no chances to report since I was last with you - both teams have wasted decent chances to deliver quality into the opposition box.
Brahim Diaz has shown some nice touches for Madrid, but has not really contributed much in the final third. Nothing much from Bale at all, with Benzema the away side's biggest threat.
Isco fizzes a pass into Brahim Diaz inside the Getafe box, but the January arrival cannot gather the ball under his spell. The visitors are on the front foot at the moment here.
Just a reminder that Getafe dropped to fifth ahead of kickoff as Sevilla beat Rayo Vallecano, but a point would be enough to return to the top four. Still all square in the Spanish capital.
Possession football from Madrid in the last few minutes, but they are not really threatening to make the breakthrough. Benzema has been comfortably the away side's best player, though.
YELLOW CARD! Isco (Real Madrid) is booked for a foul on Arambarri just outside the penalty box and now the home side have a free kick in a very dangerous position. Can they make the most of it?
SAVE! Navas has to punch clear the attempt from Arambarri!
Madrid break from the Navas save and Benzema is waiting for the cross from Carvajal, but Soria is on hand to make the claim. End-to-end football in the last few moments here.
You do get the feeling that the first goal - if there indeed is one - will be vital here. Madrid are just enjoying a decent spell of possession in the home side's half of the field.
Bale has been given the chance to impress tonight and he has not taken it thus far. It is clear that Madrid want to sell him this summer, but Bale could sit tight on his huge contract.
SHOT! Half-chance for Madrid as Brahim feeds Benzema inside the Getafe box, but Miquel is across to make an excellent block before the resulting corner is hacked clear by Arambarri.
Certainly some signs that Madrid are warming to their task in this match, but Getafe have just broken away on the counter-attack and Reguilon has to block a strike from Arambarri.
YELLOW CARD! Suarez (Getafe) is booked for a rash challenge on Reguilon.
SAVE! Benzema attempts to convert from a Bale cross, but Soria saves.
Not long left in the first period and it has really flown past here.
Brahim Diaz again makes an intelligent run down the Getafe left, but Cabrera is across to make the challenge. It does not appear that there will be any late drama in the first period.
HALF TIME: GETAFE 0-0 REAL MADRID
HALF TIME: GETAFE 0-0 REAL MADRID
So there we have it. The referee brings the first period to a close with the two teams level at 0-0. Both have had decent moments in the final third of the field, but neither really deserves to be ahead at the interval. It has been a very even game between fifth and third in Spain's top flight.
STATISTICS! Madrid dominated the possession with 69%, but only one of their five attempts was on target. Getafe, meanwhile, hit the target with two of their three attempts. Two yellow cards to report also with Damian Suarez and Isco having their names taken by the referee.
BENCH WATCH! Getafe boss Bordalas has a lot of attacking options on his bench tonight, with Portillo, Angel, Saiz and Shibasaki all available ahead of the second period. Madrid, meanwhile, have the likes of Asensio, Kroos, Lucas, Marcelo and Modric on a very strong bench.
KICKOFF: Getafe resume the action here...
... no changes from either side at the break, which is not too much of a surprise. However, I suspect that both managers will have alterations in mind as play develops here.
Molina does really well to work some space inside the Madrid box, but the striker's cross is headed behind by Carvajal. Good pressure from Getafe early in the second period here.
CLOSE! Cabrera just heads a Mata cross over the Madrid goal!
Bale does well to work some space in a dangerous position, but the Welshman then delivers over all of his teammates and Getafe can resume the play with a goal kick here.
CLOSE! Not too far away from Brahim as the Madrid youngster smashes just wide of the Getafe post. It has been a very open start to the second half of this football match.
You do get the feeling that one goal might be enough to win this game. Both teams would probably take a point, especially as Getafe would return to fourth spot with that result.
SAVE! Smart save from Soria to keep out a strike from Casemiro!
SAVE! Even better save form Soria to keep out a powerful Carvajal drive!
CHANCE! Huge chance for the away side to take the lead as Isco finds himself free inside the Getafe box, but the Spaniard's low strike is blocked by Bruno. Excellent defending!
GETAFE SUB! Olivera is replaced by Angel for the home side.
How long will Zidane will leave it before making a change? The Frenchman has a lot of talent on his bench and Bale would well be the first one to depart for the visitors.
Getafe deliver another deep free kick into the Madrid box through Suarez, but the away side manage to clear their lines. Still goalless with little under 30 minutes to play here.
SAVE! Brahim Diaz sees his attempt kept out by Soria following more smart work.
YELLOW CARD! Valverde (Madrid) is booked for a foul on Duro.
Suarez delivers a dangerous cross into the Madrid box, but Nacho does well to make the clearance. Still goalless with little under 25 minutes of football remaining here.
Getafe are the team on the front foot at the moment as Madrid's subs continue to warm up. Surely Zidane will need to make a change in the next few minutes here.
Getafe win yet another corner following more good work from Suarez, but Madrid clear their lines as we head for the final 20 minutes. Surely one goal would be enough to win it.
REAL MADRID SUBS! Lucas and Asensio replace Bale and Brahim.
GETAFE SUB! Portillo replaces Duro for the home side.
SAVE! Two big saves from Navas to keep out attempts from Navas and Mata!
Just a reminder that a point would be enough for Getafe to return to fourth spot as the battle for the final Champions League position hots up. Still more than 10 minutes to play here, though.
REAL MADRID SUB! Kroos for Valverde is the away side's final change.
Molina has a shot deflected behind by Nacho as Getafe threaten once again. Still a solid 10 minutes of football to play before the night is out. Still all square in the capital.
YELLOW CARD! Nacho (Madrid) picks up a booking for a foul on Angel.
GETAFE SUB! Saiz replaces Mata in Getafe's final change.
Little over five minutes of normal time remaining and we are still goalless here.
SAVE! Easy save for Soria to keep out a long-range strike from Kroos.
Not long left here and if there is to be a winner then it will have to come very late indeed. In truth, a point is probably a fair result on the balance of play here.
SAVE! Decent save from Navas to keep out a strike from Saiz.
We are into the second of two additional minutes here and both teams are throwing numbers forward. Time is running out, though, and the goalless draw looks pretty secure.
FULL TIME: GETAFE 0-0 REAL MADRID
So there we have it. The referee brings the second period to a close with the two teams sharing the spoils. Getafe return to fourth spot ahead of Sevilla, while Madrid remain third, now six points off second-placed Atletico. Thanks for joining our live coverage once again!
