Getafe come into this one at the Coliseum with the kind of scratchy, grinding form that makes them exactly the sort of home side you back to edge a tight one. Recent games have not been kind — a 1-2 loss to Partizan Beograd in Conference League qualification, just three goals scored across a five-match winless stretch, and a general sense that the final third has been a slog. But here is the thing: this is Getafe at home, under the lights, against a Malaga side that has been shipping chances on the road. The hosts have been inconsistent, yes, but the underlying picture is a team that stays in games, defends its box, and waits for one moment. That is the blueprint.

Malaga arrive with their own problems. The snippets point to a narrow midfield diamond that needs to press effectively to disrupt Getafe's rhythm, which is a polite way of saying they can be got at if the press does not stick. Their recent away assignments have been tough — a trip to the Bernabeu is on the record, and that is the kind of fixture that can leave scars. They are competitive, well-drilled, and will fancy their chances of nicking something on the counter. But the momentum is not with them here. Getafe, for all their scoring woes, have the home crowd and the tactical discipline to make this uncomfortable.