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Getafe trip easy for Real Madrid

Xinhua, April 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

Real Madrid have the chance to pile the pressure on FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid when they make the short trip to face Getafe on Saturday afternoon.

The 4 p.m. kick-off will be the 18th time Real Madrid have started a game at that time this season, allowing Zinedine Zidane's men to go through the same pre-match preparation schedule that has become habitual for them.

A win in the Alfonso Perez Coliseum would take Real Madrid into second place in the BBVA Primera Liga table, putting them ahead of Atletico Madrid and just a point behind Barca, both of whom play their matches on Sunday.

Zidane's side are in one of their best moments of the season after qualifying for the semi-finals of the Champions League after beating Wolfsburg 3-0 on Tuesday night and will expect to take all three points against a side in crisis.

Getafe have taken just two points from the last 36 available and their disastrous run of just two draws from 12 games cost Fran Escriba his job as coach on Monday with Juan Eduardo Esnaider named as his replacement.

A former Real Madrid (among others) player, 43-year-old Esnaider will be hoping to inject some aggression into a side which looked depressed in previous matches and his arrival could make things harder than originally expected for Real Madrid.

Zidane will make some changes to his side in relation to Tuesday with James Rodriguez and Isco likely to start, while Rafael Varene could also have a chance in central defense, as could Lucas Vazquez following his good display last week at home to Eibar.

Real Madrid are clear favorites to take all three points, but it will be interesting to see how Getafe react to a change of coach and the need to take points to escape the relegation zone. Endit