Bordalás wants the first victory of ‘his’ Getafe to get out of relegation, against a Celta that borders on salvation
MADRID, 2 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Valencia and Villarreal face each other this Wednesday (7:30 p.m.) in a duel in which Rubén Baraja’s men need to win to get away from a relegation that threatens again, with a Mestalla strengthened in recent weeks, against Quique Setién’s who they want to strengthen their status as a Europa League team, while Bordalás and ‘his’ Getafe seek their first victory to get out of the ‘burn’ to reduce the risk, against a more comfortable Celta although without assured salvation.
The ‘ché’ team again feels the danger of the red zone close by, after losing (2-1) against Cádiz at the Nuevo Mirandilla, missing out on a golden opportunity to add three consecutive wins for the first time this season. Baraja’s men arrived at the Andalusian stadium after beating two direct rivals –Elche (0-2) and Valladolid (2-1)–, but now they are hurting their resilience and morale again, aware that they face six ‘finals’ per stay first.
The one suffered in Cádiz was the seventeenth defeat this season, in a situation that makes him face the regional derby with no margin for error, standing just above the feared relegation and with two ‘cushion’ points on the ‘burn’. With disconnections and a lack of attitude and commitment at times, Baraja’s team cannot afford any more ‘stumbling blocks’, given that the schedule they will face starting this Wednesday is very demanding, hosting Villarreal, Real Madrid and Espanyol, and visiting Celtic, Mallorca and Betis.
For this reason, in this final race Mestalla seems like a fundamental pillar on which to build the faith of remaining in the highest category. The Valencians have only lost one of their last five league games at home (3W and 1E), in a fiefdom in which they have beaten Villarreal in the last five derbies. For this Wednesday, Baraja will not be able to count on Marcos André, in addition to having the doubt of Justin Kluivert.
Opposite will be a Villarreal immersed in a totally different fight, since it continues to be determined to defend its place in the Europa League, while it does not lose the illusion of fighting for the ‘Champions’. His current fifth place (53 points) with 20 points more than his rival (33) make him a favorite for a derby at Mestalla that he has not won since 2017.
His last two league victories against Espanyol (4-2) and Celta (3-1) allow him to dream of aspiring to fourth place in the table, occupied by Real Sociedad. And it is that the ‘Yellow Submarine’ has not finished in the top four since the 2015-2016 season.
The two most recent matches against Valencia ended with a ‘grogueta’ victory, so they could link three wins over the ‘ché’ team for the first time since 2018. Villarreal will visit Mestalla with the injured Coquelin and José Luis Morales absent , with Kiko Femenía and Gerard Moreno already in the final stretch of their recovery processes.
BORDALÁS WANTS TO TAKE THIS ‘FINAL’ WITHOUT MORE MARGIN FOR ERROR
The new Getafe of José Bordalás needs to react before a key final stretch of six games to win permanence. The first stop will be the visit of a Celta in no man’s land, a duel conducive to getting three points that could get him out of relegation. The ‘azulón’ team is penultimate with 31 units, only two away from momentary salvation.
The Madrid team has only achieved two points out of the last 18 possible, with four losses and two draws. A poor balance that has condemned him to ‘dance’ in the abyss and look into the eye at a relegation that would mean falling to Second seven years later. Those of Bordalás, who opened with defeat (1-0), have not won since the end of March, so they need a Coliseum in which they celebrated three wins and two draws -one of them against Barça-, before to fail (1-2) in the last ‘final’ at home against Almería.
Without the suspended Gonzalo Villar or the injured Mauro Arambarri and Luis Milla, Getafe receives a Celta that has ‘scratched’ points in their last three visits to the Coliseum. In the quiet area of the table, Celta arrives practically saved, a condition that could cause excessive relaxation in an irregular team, with only one win in the last six games.
However, Carlos Carvalhal’s men know that a victory would make them exceed 40 points and would certify, at least virtually, that permanence. In their last round they lost (3-1) against Villarreal away from home, an aspect in which they need to improve to avoid complications in this final stretch, since as a visitor they have only added one win in the last six games. Mingueza is still injured and the coach will be able to count on Carles Pérez.
–PROGRAM FOR MATCHDAY 33 OF LALIGA SANTANDER.
-Wednesday, May 3.
Valencia – Villarreal. Gil Manzano (C. Extremeño) 19.30.
Getafe – Celtic. Melero López (C.Andaluz) 22.00.
Athletic of Madrid – Cadiz. Soto Grado (C. Riojano) 22.00.
-Thursday 4.
Girona – Majorca. Martínez Munuera (C.Valenciano) 19.30.
Seville – Spanish. Alberola Rojas (CC-Manchego) 19.30.
Athletic – Real Betis. Ortiz Arias (C.Madrileño) 22.00.
Lightning – Valladolid. Diaz de Mera Escuderos (CC-Manchego)