Getafe will be looking to recover from back-to-back defeats in Spain's top flight when they continue their campaign at home to Real Sociedad on Sunday.

The home side, who occupy 13th spot in the table, will enter the contest off the back of successive losses to Sevilla and Real Madrid, while Sociedad thumped Cadiz 4-1 in their last league game on February 7.

Match preview

Getafe have won six, drawn six and lost 10 of their 22 La Liga matches during the 2020-21 campaign, which has seen them collect 24 points to sit 13th in the table, six points off the top seven and 11 points off sixth-placed Sociedad.

The capital club have finished eighth, fifth and eighth in their last three seasons at this level of football, but a lack of consistency this term means that they are not currently in the mix for a possible European finish in Spain's top flight.

Jose Bordalas's side will enter Sunday's clash off the back of a 2-0 defeat at Real Madrid on Tuesday night, with Karim Benzema and Ferland Mendy on the scoresheet as the Spanish champions triumphed. Getafe also lost at Sevilla last weekend, while they conceded five at leaders Atletico Madrid at the end of January, which is an indication of their recent struggles.

The hosts will be eyeing their first league victory since January 20, and they have actually won each of their last three home games with Sociedad, including a 2-1 success in the corresponding clash during the 2019-20 campaign.

Sociedad, meanwhile, will enter this weekend's contest off the back of a 4-1 league victory over Cadiz in San Sebastian, with Mikel Oyarzabal and Alexander Isak both netting braces in the comfortable win.

The victory was the Basque club's first in La Liga since the end of December and moved them onto 35 points from 22 matches, just one point behind fifth-placed Villarreal and five clear of seventh-placed Real Betis.

Imanol Alguacil's side will certainly be focused on this weekend's contest, but there is little doubting that they will have one eye on their Europa League last-32 first leg against Manchester United next Thursday, which will actually be held in Turin due to coronavirus restrictions on travel.

La Real have not finished higher than sixth in La Liga since the 2012-13 campaign, though, and the fact that they are just a point off fifth-placed Villarreal makes every game important at this stage of the season.

Getafe La Liga form: WWLDLL

Real Sociedad La Liga form: WDLDDW
Real Sociedad form (all competitions): LWDLDW

Team News

Getafe's squad is in excellent shape at the moment in terms of injuries, while they will also be able to recall Djene Dakonam this weekend, with the centre-back serving a suspension against Real Madrid.

Bordalas is expected to make changes from the side that started against Los Blancos, with Jaime Mata, Carles Alena, Takefusa Kubo and David Timor all in line to start.

Enes Unal is also an option in the final third of the field, but a change of formation could see both Angel and Cucho Hernandez drop out and Mata go through the middle as a lone striker.

Sociedad, meanwhile, have been hit by the news that key attacker Oyarzabal has picked up a hamstring problem, which will rule him out of this weekend's contest, while the Spain international is also a huge doubt for both legs of their Europa League last-32 clash with Man United.

Miguel Moya, Jon Pacheco and Luca Sangalli are also out, but Robin Le Normand is available following a one-game suspension and should return to the starting XI for this match.

Ander Barrenetxea could be the player to benefit from Oyarzabal's absence, while David Silva, who has had his injury problems this season, appeared as a substitute against Cadiz last time out and could now come into the XI.

Getafe possible starting lineup:
Soria; Suarez, Dakonam, Chakla, Olivera; Timor, Maksimovic; Kubo, Alena, Cucurella; Mata

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Gorosabel, Elustondo, Le Normand, Monreal; Merino, Illarramendi, D Silva; Januzaj, Isak, Barrenetxea

We say: Getafe 1-1 Real Sociedad

Sociedad have shared the points in three of their last five league matches, while Getafe played out a draw with Alaves in their last game on home soil. Both sides will feel that they can hurt the other in the final third, but we are finding it difficult to separate them and have therefore backed a 1-1 draw.

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