Getafe vs Malaga preview - Rodriguez keen to kick on - 7M sport

Getafe vs Malaga preview - Rodriguez keen to kick on



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Posted Saturday, December 01, 2012 by PA

Getafe midfielder Juan Rodriguez is looking to build on his side's current seventh-placed position in the Primera Division by moving level with the top four with a win over Malaga.

The Andalusians currently sit in the final Champions League place but are only three points ahead of Getafe after back-to-back wins for the Madrid side and Rodriguez believes they can compete in the top half of the table for the rest of the season.

He told Marca: "It is good that we are up the table and the most important thing is that we are currently seventh and we have to try to not fall below there.

"Malaga is a team with a lot of quality, speed and a squad with a mix of experience and youth. They are up the table for their own merits.

"We need to counteract their play, be faithful to our style, enforce the rhythm of the game and make the points stay here. We are full of confidence, excitement and wishing to draw level with them in the table."

Rodriguez could even be recalled to the starting line-up as Michel is suspended but Luis Garcia has no other selection worries, and is expected to retain the central defensive pairing of Alexis and Alberto Lopo despite the return of David Abraham from injury.

Malaga, meanwhile, returned to their best form in the league with a 4-0 thrashing of Valencia last weekend, but Manuel Pellegrini believes Getafe's position in the table makes them just as big a rival for that final Champions League spot as Los Che are.

He told the club's website: "Getafe is a team that is three points from us so they are justly a direct rival to fight for a place in the Champions League.

"They are a team that has had an inconsistent season but they have won their last few games and the points total they have in the table indicates that. They are going to be a very difficult opponent on the field."

Sergio Sanchez returns to the visitors' squad for the first time in a couple of weeks, but Nacho Monreal and Julio Baptista are still at least a week away from making their comebacks.



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