GETAFE CLUB de FUTBOL (Coliseum Alfonso Pérez)

LFP PRIMERA DIVISION, GETAFE 1-2 GRANADA, ATTENDANCE: 5,987

This weekend I headed over to Spain for a short break. I was hoping for a double header, combining a trip to Getafe with a visit to Atletico Madrid but sadly the kick off time was not kind to me (Spanish football is notorious for not deciding kick off times until only a few weeks beforehand, so this is not helpful when you have to book early to get cheap flights!) so I had to make do with just the one match (incidentally Atletico and Bilbao played out a drab goalless draw).

Getafe is part of the Community of Madrid and it is a short 25 minute hop on the metro from Madrid city centre to Los Espartales (and an easy 3 minute walk to ground from there). The club was originally founded in 1946 as Club Getafe Deportivo, though a Getafe Futbol Club had existed from 1924-1932 in the lower reaches of Spanish football.

After spending many years in the lower divisions of Spanish football, the club reached the second (Segunda) tier in 1976 before being liquidated and relegated in 1982.

The current club came into existence in 1983 after Club Getafe Deportivo's youth set up merged with Club Deportivo Pena Getafe.

The 'new' club climbed up through the leagues in the following decade and eventually reached La Liga in 2004, where they have remained to this day. They have mostly spent their time in the mid to lower reaches of the table, but did finish 6th in 2010 to qualify for the Europa League. They had previously played in Europe a couple of years earlier by virtue of being runners up to Valencia in the Copa del Rey. They lost on away goals to Bayern Munich in the quarter final in front of a capacity crowd.

Getafe play their homes games at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. The stadium was inaugurated on 1st January 1998 and is named after the Spanish international Alfonso Pérez, even though he never played Getafe, though he was at the club as a youth. The ex-Real Madrid and Barcelona man is arguably the most famous footballer to come out of the area, having been born in Getafe.

The ground is all seated but has limited cover (only the top tier of the main stand is covered) and is fully open to the elements, Fortunately the weather was lovely and warm for this early evening kick off. I opted for the stand behind the goal, where the Getafe Ultras are located. This was the cheapest ticket at €30. The ground was barely over a third full today.

Getafe are safe from relegation for another season and played the game as such, whereas Granada had it all to play for as they needed the points in their own fight against the drop. It was Granada who therefore played the game with a bit more intensity. 

Youssef El-Arabi (14) opened the scoring for visitors from the penalty spot after a handball from defender Naldo. Pedro León (45) equalised with virtually the last kick of the half when his weak shot squirmed past goalkeeper Roberto at his near post and into the net.

In the second half El-Arabi (59) scored a superb header to give Granada the three points and coach José Ramón Sandoval a victory in his first game in charge.

You can see the goals by clicking here