Getafe and Celta Vigo meet at the Coliseum on Monday evening with both searching for an early-season lift after difficult starts in La Liga.

José Bordalás’s side have taken three points from their opening three matches, while Celta remain without a victory after four attempts. With the teams combining for only two league goals so far, this looks less like a contest likely to be decided by attacking brilliance and more one in which a single mistake could prove decisive.

Getafe need their home form to compensate for attacking problems

Getafe’s return to European competition was evidence of the progress made under Bordalás last season, but their opening weeks have also exposed the challenge of competing on multiple fronts.

A seventh-place finish secured Conference League football, and Getafe have already negotiated their qualifying assignment against Partizan, surviving a dramatic tie 4-3 on aggregate to reach the league phase.

Their domestic performances have been far less convincing. An opening 3-0 defeat at Alavés was followed by a victory over Racing Santander at the Coliseum, but Getafe returned empty-handed from Osasuna after Ante Budimir’s first-half penalty settled a 1-0 contest.

One goal across three league fixtures tells its own story. Bordalás has rarely built teams around expansive attacking football, but Getafe need greater output if they are to reproduce last season’s top-seven finish. Their defensive organisation can keep them competitive in tight matches; asking that defence to operate with virtually no margin for error every week is a different proposition.

The injury situation does little to help. Christantus Uche is facing most of the season on the sidelines following a cruciate ligament injury, while Juanmi is not expected back from his knee problem until November. Mario Martín is another confirmed absentee, and Andrés García joined the list of concerns after leaving the Osasuna game with a quadriceps problem.

Abdel Abqar could also miss Monday’s fixture with a muscle injury, further reducing Bordalás’s room for manoeuvre as Getafe prepare to balance La Liga with their forthcoming European schedule.

The Coliseum therefore assumes even greater importance. Getafe have already collected their only league victory of the season there, and establishing a reliable home record could be crucial if their Conference League commitments begin to take a toll.

Celta have become difficult to beat – but equally difficult to back

Celta’s position in the bottom three is uncomfortable, although their first four results require some context. Claudio Giráldez’s team have lost twice at Balaídos but remain unbeaten away from home. Goalless draws at Valencia and Real Sociedad account for both of their points and suggest Celta are considerably more comfortable when the responsibility to dictate matches belongs to their opponents.

That could be relevant at the Coliseum. The problems arise when Celta have to create rather than contain. They have scored once in four league matches. Their only goal came against Osasuna, when Marcos Alonso’s dismissal changed the complexion of a game Celta eventually lost 2-1. Athletic Bilbao then left Balaídos with a 2-0 victory before Celta travelled to San Sebastián and successfully shut out Real Sociedad.

That clean sheet was valuable, but another match without scoring underlined the issue Giráldez still has to solve. Borja Iglesias’s absence has not helped. The striker is moving closer to a return but remains uncertain for Monday, depriving Celta of an established focal point at a time when they badly need greater presence inside the opposition penalty area.

Aleix Febas is definitely unavailable because of a rib injury. For all their attacking limitations, Celta have at least demonstrated that they can make away games ugly. Neither Valencia nor Sociedad found a way through, and another compact defensive performance would force Getafe to solve precisely the problem that has troubled them throughout August: breaking down an organised opponent.

Verdict: Neither attack offers enough reason for confidence

There is very little separating these teams on the evidence available so far. Getafe possess home advantage and have already won at the Coliseum, but their solitary goal in three league matches makes them difficult to trust. Their growing injury list and the additional demands of European football further complicate matters for Bordalás.

Celta have played one game more without winning, yet their two away performances have both ended 0-0. Giráldez appears to have found a structure capable of frustrating opponents on the road, even if the attacking side of the equation remains unresolved.

The recent history between the clubs is similarly balanced, with two victories each and a draw across their last five meetings.

This could ultimately come down to which team is prepared to take greater risks. Given their respective scoring records, there is little reason to expect either manager to abandon caution too early.

A winner is possible, but another match in which Celta leave with a point and Getafe are left frustrated looks the stronger call.

Tip

Draw.