Think of Madrid based football clubs and you are instantly drawn to two of Spain’s heavyweight sides in Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, and rightly so.
However, the pair were not the only Madrid Metropolitan side to finish inside the top eight last season as Getafe gate-crashed into eighth for only their second ever highest La Liga finish.
But, the deep blues are showing no signs of stopping there and look set to upset the markets once again when it comes to betting on soccer after a fine start to the new campaign.
Who is Getafe?
Based just 13km from the city of Madrid, Getafe has a chequered history which saw them first come into existence in 1924 but as a low-level side playing at the Campo del Regimiento de Artillería which remarkably had no goal posts.
The club improved steadily over the years but never progressed further than the Tercera División (Spain’s third tier) until 1976 when the club earned its first-ever promotion to the Segunda division.
After failing to break the top ten for six straight seasons, the club then failed to pay their staff and players at the end of the 1982 season and was subsequently relegated and liquidated.
Rise from the Ashes
A merger took place that year and the club was reformed in 1983 as Getafe Club de Fútbol (as they are officially known as today) and quickly rose through the regional divisions and with just one game to go of the 2003/04 season, the dream of reaching Spain’s top flight was nearly accomplished.
However, Tenerife stood in their way with Getafe needing to win in the Canary Islands in order to secure promotion.
A remarkable performance ensued by the visitors and especially by Getafe striker Sergio Pachón who scored all five of his side’s goals in a remarkable 5-3 win.
Promotion to La Liga was complete and it is a division they have stayed in ever since bar a one season break in 2016/17 following relegation the previous season.
European Exploits
The club has competed twice in European competition and even reached the quarter-finals of the 2007/08 UEFA Cup after finishing the prior season sixth in La Liga.
They nearly made it to the semi-finals as well but eventually lost out to Bayern Munich in the last eight 4-4 on aggregate and missing out on progression thanks to the away goals rule.
The Here and Now
Never in the history of the club have they looked as settled and in control as they do today.
Managed by the much-travelled Pepe Bordalás since 2016, Getafe is a club well and truly on the up.
Star striker Ángel Rodríguez has netted three goals already this season after a chequered campaign last time out that still saw the 31-year-old break the double figure mark.
A host of loan signings such as Uruguayan midfielder Sebastián Cristóforo from Fiorentina, forward Sergi Guardiola from Cordoba and defender Dimitri Foulquier from Watford has helped strengthen the spine of a squad who impressed last season.
At the time of writing, the club occupies fifth after a stunning performance away at Sevilla in which Angel netted a brace to give his side a 2-0 win at the intimidating Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán.
Never before has the future looked so bright for Getafe, a club that has had to endure its entire existence in the shadow of the heavyweight Madrid sides.
Maybe now is the time for Getafe to establish themselves as one of the top sides in Spain and push on for European football once again.
