Photo: Heradiom / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
La Liga expert Terry Gibson has assessed Tottenham’s pre-season opponents Getafe CF ahead of Saturday’s friendly at Hotspur Way (3pm UK), describing the Spanish side as serial survivors who consistently outperform expectations.
“Every year, I look at Getafe’s season ahead and they are relegation candidates,” Gibson said. “Their aim is to stay in the division, because if they ever have any good players, they lose them – and that’s happened again this summer.”
Getafe finished seventh in La Liga last season and qualified for European competition, despite Gibson publicly predicting their relegation before January reinforcements transformed their campaign. The club has since lost key midfielders Mauro Arambarri, who joined River Plate, and Luis Milla, who moved to Como, while striker Luis Vázquez departed for Birmingham City.
The club reportedly spent 19 million euros in the transfer market this summer but recouped 28 million euros in sales, leaving Gibson cautious about their prospects. Loan duo Martín Satriano and Zaid Romero have been retained.
On manager Jose Bordalas, Gibson was emphatic. “I feel that he’s a coach who should be getting better jobs. It’s his second time in Europe with Getafe, and that’s astonishing, really. Remember, their average home crowd last season was just over 8,000.”
Bordalas has managed Getafe since 2016, with a one-season spell at Valencia in 2021/22 in between, where he reached the Copa del Rey final before losing on penalties to Real Betis. He returned to Getafe in 2023.
Gibson described Getafe’s style as direct and physically aggressive. “They’re the most aggressive team in La Liga by a mile – they pick up the most yellow and red cards,” he said, highlighting veteran defender Djene Dakonam as a player who embodies Bordalas’s approach.