Both seeking a place in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, Getafe and Sevilla clash at the Coliseum on Tuesday evening.
The pair are separated by 10 points in La Liga, with the hosts holding a significant advantage over their Andalucian counterparts, but they now go head-to-head in Spain's national cup competition.
Match preview
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Runners-up in both 2007 and 2008, Getafe have never before claimed the Copa del Rey, but they took one step closer to this year's final by beating Segunda side Espanyol in their most recent outing.
After coming through two previous rounds earlier this season, the Madrid club progressed to the last 16 thanks to Luis Milla's 87th-minute winner in Barcelona.
That helped Getafe bounce straight back from an awful start to 2024, when Jose Bordalas saw his team's four-game unbeaten run brought to an abrupt halt by Rayo Vallecano, who left the Spanish capital with a 2-0 win after Mason Greenwood, Damian Suarez and Juanmi Latasa were sent off.
While Los Azulones slipped up against Rayo, the Coliseum had hitherto proved a tough place for away sides to visit - they have lost just once at home in La Liga, while averaging a healthy two points per game.
Now, they reconvene with the only team they have beaten on the road this term, aiming for a repeat of December's 3-0 league victory down in Seville.
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Having left Getafe for the third time last year, Sevilla coach Quique Sanchez Flores will return to familiar territory on Tuesday evening, as he seeks to steady the ship at his current club.
Los Rojiblancos remain dangerously close to the drop zone following a dramatic 3-2 home defeat to Alaves on Friday night, and their faltering form at the end of 2023 has continued into the new year.
With just one win from their last 14 La Liga matches, the perennial Europa League champions may be relieved to be back in cup competition, where they have thrived during the past two decades.
In addition to regularly triumphing in UEFA's second-tier club competition, Sevilla were Copa del Rey winners in 2007 and 2010, though it took a late winner from Juanlu Sanchez to help them past Racing Ferrol in this year's last-32 tie.
Having just fought back from two goals down against relegation rivals only to concede again and suffer a third straight league defeat, the Andalucian side's morale must be at a real low - and after tackling Getafe, a tricky trip to Girona awaits at the weekend.
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Team News
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Sevilla's list of absentees remains long, as Youssef En-Nesyri has left to represent Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations and several players are still injured.
Nemanja Gudelj has undergone knee surgery, while Dodi Lukebakio, Orjan Nyland and Marcos Acuna are also sidelined again.
In better news for Quique Sanches Flores, Erik Lamela has returned to full training and is included in the visitors' squad; young forward Isaac Romero has been promoted to the first-team setup and new signing Lucien Agoume could be involved too.
Getafe are still without midfielder Mauro Arambarri due to an ACL injury, and Ilaix Moriba - who recently arrived on loan from RB Leipzig - is away on AFCON duty with Guinea.
Several men facing La Liga suspensions can feature in the Copa del Rey, though: Juanmi Latasa, Damian Suarez and Jaime Mata are all set to miss Sunday's league game against Osasuna - Manchester United loanee Mason Greenwood has had his ban overturned.
Leading the way with 14 goals this season, top scorer Borja Mayoral has recently been linked with a move to Arsenal, but the ex-Real Madrid striker should start in midweek.
Getafe possible starting lineup: Soria; Iglesias, Alderete, Alvarez, Rico; Carmona, Milla, Maksimovic, Greenwood; Latasa, Mayoral
Sevilla possible starting lineup: Dmitrovic; Juanlu, Marcao, Ramos, Salas; Suso, Rakitic, Sow, Pedrosa; Ocampos, Mir
We say: Getafe 2-1 Sevilla
With only one away win on the board in La Liga, a stuttering Sevilla side are at serious risk of elimination from the Copa del Rey. Getafe are hard to beat at home, so it is the capital club that will book a place in the quarter-finals.
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