Saturday’s afternoon kick-off between Real Madrid and Getafe at Coliseum Alfonso Perez represents a perfect opportunity for Los Blancos to put pressure on leaders Barcelona, and they can do so with two star attackers both in from the start.
Playing before the Blaugrana take on Atletico Madrid in the capital, Real can cut the gap at the top of LaLiga to four points in a venue that has given them mixed results over the years; winning seven, drawing one and losing four of 12 visits.
But there is optimism that the visitors can finally dispel their attacking woes when making the short trip to Getafe, as Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo are expected to start together for the first time since the Champions League final.
That amounts to 133 days without the duo backing eachother up, in which time Ronaldo replaced Benzema from the bench in both the UEFA Super Cup and the Supercopa de Espana first leg.
Since then, the Portugal winger has accrued a lengthy suspension which ended just as his striking colleague suffered an injury lapse.
However Benzema is returning at the right time with the Coliseum a happy hunting ground for the Frenchman. In 12 appearances, nine of which coming as a starter, he’s bagged seven goals at the venue.
A mixed relationship with the FIFA virus
Benzema’s seemingly compulsory absence from international duty has given the player a fortnight to shrug off his fitness problems however Real have lost Keylor Navas over the break to a hamstring issue.
Marcelo and Theo Hernandez are fit and back in Zinedine Zidane’s plans as the usual rotations come into focus, with Luka Modric and Isco both experiencing busy spells with their respective nations.
Getafe come into the game off the back of a very tough run of home fixtures, having been given Sevilla, Barcelona, Villarreal and Los Blancos as their opening schedule following promotion from Segunda Division.
Those games have been dealt with admirably thus far but Jose Bordalas’ side are without key players in the shape of Pacheco, Gorosito, Gaku Shibasaki, Sergio Mora and Jefferson Montero as the champions come to town.
