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

The two sides, who were victorious in the Copa del Rey earlier this week, are both on 19 points from 15 La Liga matches this season, with Valencia in ninth position in the table and Getafe in 10th.

Match preview

Getafe have proved to be difficult to beat in La Liga this season, only losing four of their opening 15 matches of the campaign, but one of those defeats came last time out - going down 2-0 at Las Palmas.

Jose Bordalas's side managed to return to winning ways in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday, though, beating Atzeneta 2-1 to advance to the third round of the competition.

The capital side have won four, drawn seven and lost four of their 15 league games this season to collect 19 points, which has left them in 10th position in the table, two points behind eighth-placed Las Palmas.

The Deep Blue Ones have finished 15th in each of their last three campaigns at this level, so there is certainly room for improvement, and it does appear that a top-half finish could be on the cards this term.

Getafe are unbeaten at home in La Liga since the end of April, including wins in their last two league fixtures in front of their own supporters, and they will be welcoming a Valencia side that have lost their last two La Liga matches on their travels.

Valencia were beaten 2-1 at Girona in the league last weekend, but they also managed to return to winning ways in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday, beating Arosa 1-0 to advance to the third round of the competition.

Los Che boast a record of five wins, four draws and six defeats from 15 league matches this season, which has left them in ninth position in the table on 19 points, and they have both scored (17) and conceded (20) the same number of goals as their opponents in this match.

Ruben Baraja's side have only won once away from home in the league this season, which came in their opening match against Sevilla, picking up just three points from their seven matches on the road since then.

Valencia finished 16th in Spain's top flight last season, which proved to be their worst final position since being relegated from La Liga at the end of the 1985-86 campaign.

Los Che suffered a 1-0 defeat to Getafe in the corresponding match between these two teams last season, but they recorded a 5-1 victory in the reverse clash at Mestalla.

Getafe La Liga form:

D

D

W

D

W

L

Getafe form (all competitions):

W

W

D

W

L

W

Valencia La Liga form:

W

D

W

L

D

L

Valencia form (all competitions):

W

W

L

D

L

W

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Team News

Getafe will be without the services of Jose Angel Carmona, Mauro Arambarri and Enes Unal on Friday evening due to injuries, while three players are suspended for the hosts.

Indeed, Omar Alderete was sent off against Las Palmas in the league last time out, which will see him serve a one-game ban, while Diego Rico and Damian Suarez picked up milestone yellow cards in the same match.

As a result, three of the back four from the Las Palmas clash are unavailable, and there will also be changes further forward from the Copa del Rey contest on Tuesday, with Mason Greenwood, Borja Mayoral and Nemanja Maksimovic set to return to the side here.

As for Valencia, Andre Almeida is back in training after a back problem, but this match is likely to come too soon for him, while Jose Gaya is definitely out with a muscular issue.

Head coach Baraja will make changes from the side that took to the field for the Copa del Rey clash on Tuesday evening, with Fran Perez, Javi Guerra and Thierry Correia among those set to return.

Hugo Duro is the team's leading goalscorer in the league this season with seven, and he will again lead the line, while there could be another start at left-back for 18-year-old Yarek Gasiorowski.

Getafe possible starting lineup:

Soria; Iglesias, Dakonam, Alvarez, Angileri; Greenwood, Milla, Maksimovic, Alena; Mayoral, Latasa

Valencia possible starting lineup:

Mamardashvili; Correia, Mosquera, Paulista, Gasiorowski; Foulquier, Pepelu, Guerra, Perez; D Lopez, Duro

We say: Getafe 1-1 Valencia

This is a really difficult match to call, especially considering how the two teams have performed in the league this season. Getafe have shared the points in seven of their 15 La Liga matches this term, and we are expecting the two teams to play out a low-scoring draw on Friday night.

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