Getafe will look to put a difficult league result behind them when they host Partizan Belgrade on Thursday at 21:00 in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League play-offs. For José Bordalás, this is the next major test in a season that has already asked plenty of his squad.
The timing matters. Getafe are coming in after a 3-0 defeat to Alavés in Vitoria, while Partizan Belgrade arrive with more match sharpness because they have already gone through previous rounds. That gives the visitors a different rhythm, but it also gives Getafe the advantage of playing the opening leg at The Coliseum before the return in Belgrade.
Bordalás: rotation could shape the night
Bordalás is managing a heavy schedule, and that means selection is likely to be a major part of the conversation. The Getafe head coach is considering rotations, with summer signings Johan Mojica and Francho Serrano among the players who may be given minutes.
That would make sense in a tie that is only halfway complete after Thursday. Getafe do not need to settle everything at home, but they do need to avoid giving Partizan Belgrade an opening to take back to Serbia.
A European tie with little room for error
Last season, Getafe put together a brilliant campaign that took them back to Europe, and this play-off is the reward for that work. But it is also a reminder that European football rarely allows a team to lean on reputation alone.
Partizan Belgrade will not be short of belief, especially with the return leg coming in Belgrade. Getafe, though, will trust the structure Bordalás usually brings, and they will hope the blend of experience and possible rotation is enough to set up a strong position before the second leg.
Thursday night at 21:00 is therefore less about glamour than control. If Getafe can manage the game well, they will give themselves a proper chance of carrying the tie to Belgrade with the advantage they want.
