A clear 3-0 away win in San Sebastián in the last league match and Real Sociedad still without a win in the league under their new coach give this Friday evening’s match at the Coliseum much more weight than a mid-table clash would suggest. Getafe are in 10th place with 21 points, three points ahead of Real Sociedad in 15th place, and neither side can feel particularly comfortable. For a Getafe team built on resilience and staying up, the first half of the season has largely met expectations, while La Real travel to convert their new beginning with Pellegrino Matarazzo into results. The recent history between the two sides is close, with the last league meeting ending in a clear 3-0 away win for Getafe in San Sebastián, after two consecutive draws at the Coliseum. This time, Real Sociedad arrive with Matarazzo, fresh from an intense and aggressive debut against Atlético that visibly improved the performance, even if it did not end the winless league streak. Getafe travels from a late draw at Rayo, saved by Arambarri, which calmed a difficult spell and confirmed the usual sharpness of a Bordalás team, despite rumors of a possible move by the coach to the Premier League.
- Venue: Coliseum, Getafe
- Date and time: 09.01.2026, 21:00
- Competition: La Liga (matchday 19)
However, our assessment is even more clearly in favor of “Real Sociedad to win” than the market suggests. Interestingly, Matarazzo’s offensive debut against Atlético suggests that Oyarzabal and Brais Méndez could each score at least once, while a distracted Getafe, without Mayoral and Abqar and burdened by uncertainty surrounding Bordalás, looks vulnerable to a defeat without scoring, which supports all three approaches.
Getafe Form & Record Check
Getafe heads into Matchday 19 of La Liga in a peculiar position. The team sits in 10th place with 21 points, just one point behind Elche and one ahead of Sevilla, reflecting a competitive but fragile season in the middle of the table. They have picked up just one point from their last five games in all competitions, and despite their respectable position, the trend is clearly downward. The results speak for themselves: in the league, they lost 2-0 at Villarreal, then 0-1 at home to Espanyol and were beaten 4-0 at Real Betis, while in the Copa del Rey, they were knocked out after a 3-1 defeat at Burgos. Getafe have conceded in each of their last five games, with the problems usually arising after the break. The 1-1 draw in Vallecas offered a small reaction, with Arambarri saving a point in stoppage time after an assist from Milla, again in a game in which Getafe initially conceded and had to chase the game. In their last five games, they have not won at halftime and show a marked tendency to lose the second half, with games usually close before the break and then becoming much more open later on. Given the identity that José Bordalás has built, a combative and resourceful team that usually keeps up with real belief, this phase seems below what many would have expected from a savvy mid-table team. The goal difference of minus 9 and the series of heavy defeats point to structural problems. The ongoing injuries to Abqar and Davinchi limit rotation in defense, while Mayoral’s absence removes a natural finisher from an already narrow attack. In the background, the club is juggling its economic and sporting puzzle, with the dispute over the Uche clause tightening the salary cap and delaying planned reinforcements such as Dani Rodríguez and Chimy Ávila, who have been agreed but not yet registered. At the same time, interest from the Premier League in Bordalás could cause unrest, and this uncertainty may seep into performances.
Getafe are likely to remain in the predicted 4-5-1 under Bordalás, so this is a predicted starting eleven and not a confirmed one. Soria should be in goal, backed up by Iglesias, who already has a contract with Sevilla for next season, as well as Djené, Duarte, and Rico. With Abqar and Davinchi still out of action, the center-back pairing looks very stable and well-rehearsed. Further forward, our predicted formation has Femenía and Liso on the wings, with Muñoz, Milla, and Arambarri in the center, with the Uruguayan riding high after his late equalizer in Vallecas. Up front, Mayoral is out with a knee problem, so Kamara is once again the most likely starter. Bordalás could adjust individual roles, but the basic structure should remain the same.
Real Sociedad Form & Record Check
Real Sociedad travel to Getafe in an uncomfortable position, sitting 15th in La Liga with 18 points and a negative goal difference. Their form in the league has cooled significantly, with no wins in five games, including draws against Atlético Madrid and Levante, both 1-1, offset by defeats to Girona 2-1 and Alavés 1-0, which exposed their problems in catching up, compounded by a goal from Brais Méndez that was disallowed shortly before halftime. The picture is only slightly brighter in all competitions, with one win in their last five games, a 2-1 victory in the Copa del Rey at Eldense in the round of 32, plus two draws and two defeats. That result earned them a home game against Osasuna in the round of 16, a step up in quality that will show whether the current reaction has substance. Pellegrino Matarazzo’s first impression against Atlético was encouraging, as he deployed a compact 4-4-2, aggressive and vertical, with Oyarzabal as the reference point and Brais Méndez oscillating between the lines. Fullbacks Aramburu and Sergio Gómez pushed high, and Guedes’ goal from a Kubo cross exemplified this idea. At the same time, Sadiq has moved to Valencia and there is interest in Karrikaburu, so the attacking hierarchy is being reorganized. Statistically, their games follow a pattern: the first halves remain tight, recently always under one and a half goals, but most games open up after the break. Real scores in most appearances, but has failed to keep a clean sheet in five games and often concedes after the break. With Herrera injured and the team one point behind Rayo Vallecano and level on points with Mallorca, pressure is mounting on Matarazzo to turn these brief flashes of brilliance into victories.
Pellegrino Matarazzo is expected to repeat the 4-4-2 formation used against Atlético, so our predicted starting lineup leaves Remiro in goal, with Aramburu, Caleta-Car, Martín, and Gómez in defense. Kubo and Guedes would occupy the wings, Turrientes and Soler would play centrally, while Méndez would play very freely around Oyarzabal as a reference point. Herrera remains sidelined with his calf injury, and Sadiq, already sold to Valencia, is no longer an option.
Getafe – Real Sociedad Head-to-Head & Statistics
Over the last five meetings, Real Sociedad has had a slight upper hand with two wins, Getafe one win, and two draws. The total number of goals is even at six per side, suggesting that the rivalry is closer than the points tally suggests. There has been only one really clear result with a big margin, Getafe’s 3-0 away win in January 2025. In 2023, the balance of power was clearly in Real Sociedad’s favor in home games, winning 2-0 and later 4-3 in matches that exposed Getafe’s defensive vulnerability. The picture changed in 2024, with both games in Getafe ending in draws, first 1-1, then 0-0, dampening Real Sociedad’s momentum and suggesting that the hosts had found ways to close down the spaces that had previously caused them problems. During these five encounters, there was a series of three games in which Sociedad scored each time and Getafe conceded a goal each time, from 2-0 to 1-1. However, this streak was emphatically ended by a 0-0 draw in 2024 and then Getafe’s 3-0 win in January 2025, so the recent trend points more towards a controlled Getafe defense. In terms of goals, this fixture tends to be fairly low-scoring, with four of the last five meetings producing at least two goals, while four remained below four goals. The exception was the 4-3 result in 2023. Interestingly, Real Sociedad’s home games have been open, while those in Getafe, with only one goal in two games, have been much more cautious, probably for tactical reasons.
