Getafe vs Malaga preview - Michel keeping the faith

Getafe midfielder Michel Herrero has openly admitted that his side have not been playing a high enough standard of football this year, but stressed there are reasons to believe in Cosmin Contra's men.

The Madrid side are 19th in the Primera Division table after losing 2-0 at Espanyol midweek, their fourth defeat this season, but have the chance to exit the relegation zone when they host Malaga on Sunday.

"Obviously, no one can be happy with the standard of football we are playing," Michel told reporters. "But you can always take something positive from something bad.

"These games have taught us a lot and will serve us well, and we can't lose faith in ourselves.

"The Valencia game was difficult, but against Espanyol we had chances to score. We couldn't take them, and when we were playing at our best they scored. That hurt us.

"We didn't deserve to lose 2-0 but football can be like that sometimes. On Sunday we have a final against Malaga, a chance to get revenge and win the next game."

Getafe have failed to score in their last three games, but Michel pointed out that they have been without their first-choice striker Alvaro Vazquez in the last fortnight as the 22-year-old recovers from a collarbone problem.

He added: "He's a very important loss because he was our best striker in pre-season. You can't control injuries and now we have to replace him with (Angel) Lafita and Baba (Diawara) and our other players. We need to score goals."

Malaga may not have won since beating Athletic Bilbao on the first day of the season but Javi Gracia's side travel to Madrid unbeaten in their last three and bolstered by their midweek 0-0 draw with Barcelona which saw them become the first team to take points off the Catalans this term.

Midfielder Nordin Amrabat admitted his side had planned to nullify Luis Enrique's side but promised that the Andalusians would opt to be more creative when facing Getafe.

"Perhaps we didn't play great football but when you play against Barcelona and get a point, then that's all that matters." said the Moroccan.

"We played very defensively and that's why Barcelona didn't score, but on Sunday against Getafe we hope to play good football and win."

In addition to the injured Vazquez and Pedro Leon, who still has not been registered by the Primera Division, Getafe could be without Mehdi Lacen and Fredi Hinestroza due to injury, while Malaga are still without Vitorino Antunes, who has a hamstring strain.