Getafe return home seeking a reaction after an opening-day rout, but José Bordalás has rung the changes, with four regulars dropping out. Racing Santander's rotation is even more drastic—seven usual starters are absent—which drags far more uncertainty into a fixture that already…
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Sign inGetafe welcome Racing Santander on Sunday evening in La Liga's second round, with the hosts looking to put a chastening opening-day defeat behind them. José Bordalás' side were beaten 3-0 at Alaves, while the newly promoted visitors marked their return to the top flight after 14 years with an impressive 2-2 home draw against Villarreal.
A 3-0 loss at Mendizorroza exposed familiar frailties for Getafe, who were reduced to 10 men and struggled to contain Alaves' direct approach. Before that setback, however, the Azulones had shown encouraging signs in pre-season, notably holding Tottenham to a 1-1 draw. New permanent signing Martín Satriano, the Uruguayan striker brought in from Lyon, will be expected to inject cutting edge into an attack that fired blanks on matchday one. With both Uche (injury) and Juanmi (knee, out until November) sidelined, the goalscoring burden falls heavily on Satriano and the support of Ángel Algobia's midfield drive.
Racing's 2-2 draw with Villarreal was exactly the rousing return their fans craved. Leading 2-0 through Andrés Martín's early penalty and a slick team move, they were eventually pegged back by Villarreal's quality, but José López's side showed they can compete at this level. The downside was a hamstring injury to debutant Pedro Felipe after less than a quarter of an hour; he is almost certain to miss this trip. On the plus side, playmaker Sergio Canales – the former Real Madrid and Real Betis man – pulled the strings elegantly, while Asier Villalibre led the line with physicality and intelligence.
Getafe will again be without forward Uche, who missed the opener, and winger Juanmi remains a long-term absentee with a knee problem. Racing Santander are counting the cost of their Villarreal draw: right-back Pedro Felipe's hamstring injury is likely to keep him out, potentially opening the door for Marco Sangalli to return to the starting XI. No fresh suspensions or other fitness concerns have been reported for either camp.
Sergio Canales remains the creative heartbeat of this Racing side. His ability to drift between the lines and deliver defence-splitting passes will test Getafe's compact, aggressive midfield unit. Bordalás will likely task his double pivot, probably Arambarri and Algobia, with snapping into tackles and denying Canales time on the ball. If the veteran playmaker finds pockets of space, he can release Villalibre and the lively Iñigo Vicente into dangerous areas — exactly the sort of incision Getafe's backline struggled to handle in Vitoria.
After Sunday's contest, Getafe face a Conference League play-off assignment in midweek, while Racing Santander prepare to host Espanyol. A positive result here would give Bordalás's men the foothold they desperately need before the fixture list thickens.
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