It’s been a disappointing season so far for Real Madrid, who sit in third place and six points behind league-leading Barcelona. Rafa Benitez was already under fire as Madrid’s manager for those results, and he’ll make an awfully convenient scapegoat for the mess that got them kicked out of the Copa del Rey. They need a win, a big win, and they need it right freakin’ now.
Real Madrid vs. Getafe 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch La Liga online
Real Madrid need a win in a bad way, and Getafe should be just the team for them to beat -- assuming everything goes to plan, at least.
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Enter Getafe, the team they’re hoping will be a willing victim to their need for something emphatic. Getafe sit in 13th place and have just a four-point cushion on the relegation zone, and while they won their last league match, that was their first such win since mid-October. They’re not in good form and they have a marked talent disadvantage when compared to Real Madrid. This should be an easy win for Rafa and company -- but as anyone can tell you, when the pressure is this high, there’s no such thing as an easy win.
Key player -- James Rodriguez (Real Madrid)
With only Gareth Bale consistently playing well in Madrid’s attack this season -- even Cristiano Ronaldo’s form has been decidedly something of a rollercoaster ride -- Los Merengues desperately need someone else to step up as a reliable presence in their attack. The most likely candidate, and the man Rafa is likely most hoping for, is Rodriguez, whose dynamic and hard-to-predict offensive presence is the most capable of single-handedly lifting Madrid to better results.
Key matchup -- Pepe (Real Madrid) vs. Alvaro Vazquez (Getafe)
With both Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane out for this match, Madrid will be relying heavily on Pepe to lead their defense for this match -- and that could be a problem, as the Portuguese veteran has been in poor form more often than not this season. That’s something Vazquez will be looking to exploit as the most dangerous attacker Getafe have right now, leading them in both scoring and assists. He’s been a rare ray of sunshine in a mostly bad season for the Azulones, and if he can catch Pepe having another bad day, he’s well capable of punishing it.
Real Madrid injuries and suspensions
Out: Isco, Dani Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos
Getafe injuries and suspensions
Out: Emiliano Buendia, Juan Rodriguez, Alvaro Medran
Match Date/Time: Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, 4 p.m. local
Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain
TV: beIN Sports (U.S. & Canada - English), beIN Sports en Español (U.S. & Canada - Spanish), Canal+ Liga/HD (Spain)
Online: Fubo TV, beIN Sports Connect (U.S. & Canada),
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