Real Madrid will look to respond immediately to their latest La Liga setback when they welcome Getafe to the Bernabeu on Monday night.
Los Blancos sit second in the table, just one point behind leaders FC Barcelona, while Getafe occupy 13th place and are aiming to create distance between themselves and the relegation conversation.
Madrid come into this fixture on the back of a professional European performance. A 2-1 victory over SL Benfica in the second leg of their Champions League playoff secured a 3-1 aggregate triumph and booked a heavyweight last-16 showdown with Manchester City.
Domestically, however, there was frustration last time out. A surprise 2-1 defeat to Osasuna halted their momentum and allowed Barcelona to edge ahead at the summit. With the Catalan side hosting Villarreal over the weekend, the pressure is firmly on Madrid to keep pace in what is shaping up to be a tight title race.
Head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has overseen an excellent home campaign overall. Madrid boast the third-best home record in La Liga, collecting 33 points from 12 matches at the Bernabeu. That return has been built on territorial dominance, defensive control and clinical edge in decisive moments.
Getafe, though, have shown resilience on their travels. Four away wins and 14 points from 12 road fixtures underline their capacity to frustrate hosts, particularly when they can defend deep and counter with direct transitions.
The head-to-head record heavily favours Madrid. They have won 31 of the previous 41 meetings in all competitions, including a narrow 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture in October 2025. Even more striking, Getafe have lost each of their last eight encounters with Los Blancos, scoring just once across those matches. Their last win at the Bernabeu dates back to February 2008, which highlights the scale of Monday’s challenge.
Getafe arrive following a 1-0 home defeat to Sevilla FC, but that represents their only loss in the last five league games. They have claimed two wins from their previous three La Liga fixtures, including a 2-0 away success at Alaves earlier this month. With eight wins, five draws and 12 defeats from 25 matches, Jose Bordalas’s side have built a modest but valuable cushion in mid-table.
Team news
Madrid’s injury list remains significant. Eder Militao, Jude Bellingham, Dani Ceballos, Dean Huijsen, Kylian Mbappe and Raul Asensio are all unavailable, while Rodrygo faces a late fitness test due to a hamstring concern. Asensio picked up a neck problem in the Benfica clash, and Huijsen is still sidelined with a calf issue.In central defence, Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba are expected to form the partnership in front of Thibaut Courtois. If Rodrygo is not risked, Gonzalo Garcia should continue in attack alongside Vinicius Junior, with Arda Guler likely to operate between the lines. Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga are set to anchor midfield.
Getafe will be without Davinchi and Abu Kamara through injury, while Djene Dakonam is suspended after his dismissal against Sevilla. Abdel Abqar, Borja Mayoral and Juanmi all require late assessments.
Bordalas is expected to deploy a five-man defensive structure, aiming to compress space centrally and limit Madrid’s ability to combine through the half-spaces. Martin Satriano and Luis Vazquez should lead the line, tasked primarily with pressing triggers and exploiting transitional opportunities.
Possible starting lineups
Real Madrid:Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Alaba, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Guler; G Garcia, Vinicius
Getafe:
Soria; Iglesias, Duarte, Romero; Femenia, Milla, Arambarri, Rico; Martin; Satriano, Vazquez
Expert Prediction
Real Madrid 2-0 Getafe
