Real Sociedad vs GetafeNo preview - excuses for Arrasate

Real Sociedad coach Jagoba Arrasate will not point to his side's long absentee list if they do not take all three points on Saturday against Getafe in their opening game of the 2013-14 season.

The Basques will be without striker Imanol Agirretxe, their top scorer last season, centre-back Mikel Gonzalez, Diego Ifran and Jose Angel Valdes, who are all carrying injuries, plus Markel Bergara, who is serving a suspension after he was sent off on the final day of last season.

Arrasate though insists there will be no excuses and he told a press conference: "It is part of football and the reason you build squads. We have to make do with the players we have fit, we are going to put out a competitive starting line-up and our absentees won't be an excuse."

Arrasate, who will be taking charge of his first game since succeeding Philippe Montanier at the end of last season, revealed that Esteban Granero, who has joined the club on loan from English Premier League side QPR, could feature in the game against Luis Garcia's side.

"He's played the entire pre-season and he could play. He's the type of player we've wanted to sign for a very long time and that's why we made such an effort to get him," he said.

The coach is not just hoping for the three points to kick-start La Real's campaign, but also believes a win would give his team a vital lift heading into their Champions League play-off first-leg tie with Lyon the following week.

"Beating Getafe would serve us very well because as well as taking the three points, we would be more confident about our match with Lyon," Arrasate said.

Getafe have made just one new addition to the squad since the start of the summer, signing defender Roberto Lago from Celta Vigo, while seven key players, including Paco Alcacer, Miguel Torres, Xavi Torres and Abel Barrada have departed.

However, Garcia has refused to accept his side are in a weaker position than last term.

"Some people think our squad is worse than last year's because Barrada, Xavi or Miguel Torres left, but I don't agree," he told reporters.

"Barrada was very important to us, but perhaps this year [Pablo] Sarabia will be important too. We have to wait until the final week of the season before we can judge.

"We have seen teams that began the year in the Champions League get relegated [a reference to Villarreal's plight in 2011-12].

"But first of all, our objective is to beat Real Sociedad this weekend."

In Garcia's side favour is the fact that, unlike their opponents, they have no injury concerns for the match.