In-form Gonzalo Higuain will hope to mark his 100th appearance for
Real Madrid with a match-winning performance against Getafe on
Thursday.
However, recent history suggests the title-chasers may be in
for an uncomfortable night at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
Higuain took his tally to 20 goals in his last 17 league
games during Madrid's 3-1 win over Sporting Gijon on Sunday, and he
is just five behind fellow Argentinian Lionel Messi at the top of
the Primera Division scoring charts.
Messi has been earning widespread plaudits for his stunning
form but Higuain has been going about his business quietly and
effectively, and he is now only two shy of the 22-goal total he
collected last season when he finished as Madrid's top scorer.
The 22-year-old will bring up a century of appearances if he
plays, and he said: "I will try to enjoy the game. It's very
important for us. We have to pick up the three points and we hope
that's what happens.
"My objective is to beat the number of goals I scored last
year. I'm only two away, but aside from my personal aims, my main
goal is to help the team. If we are champions and I score goals,
then so much the better."
Madrid make the short trip to the suburbs of the Spanish
capital on the back of a nine-match winning streak.
However, if Madrid are to take full advantage of any slip by
Barca they will need to improve on a miserable record at Getafe.
In the five league meetings between the two clubs at the
Coliseum since Getafe were first promoted to the top flight in
2004, Madrid have suffered three defeats and recorded just one win
- a 1-0 triumph in 2007.
Last season's 3-1 loss at Getafe in December 2008 contributed
to the dismissal of then Madrid coach Bernd Schuster, who lasted
one more game - a 4-3 home defeat by Sevilla - before making way
for Juande Ramos, and the current incumbent Manuel Pellegrini will
be wary about suffering a similar fate.
Despite his side's good domestic form, Pellegrini has found
himself under pressure following Madrid's Champions League exit at
the hands of Lyon, and with another derby against Atletico coming
up at the weekend and then the huge showdown with Barca at the
Bernabeu a fortnight later, he will be desperate for a good result.
Higuain, who scored both goals in a 2-0 home win over Getafe
earlier this season, admitted: "We cannot allow ourselves to drop
any points."
Both Pellegrini and his Getafe counterpart Michel both have
plenty of injury headaches heading into the match.
For Madrid, Pepe, Karim Benzema, Kaka, Lassana Diarra,
Mahamadou Diarra, Guti and Royston Drenthe were all struggling with
various problems this week.
Meanwhile, Getafe are without top scorer Roberto Soldado,
plus defenders Cata Diaz and Miguel Torres, while Mario Alvarez and
David Belenguer are injury doubts.
Getafe forward Miku said of the game: "They (Madrid) are out
of the Champions League and the Copa del Rey and this will make
them 100% focused. As well as that, they have players who are used
to pressure and solving difficult situations.
"It's going to be difficult (for Getafe), but nothing more.
This is sport. At the Bernabeu Getafe already took them on
toe-to-toe and this is the intention. We need to be very careful
not to make any mistakes."
