With Mauro Arambarri scoring a own goal, Carles Aleñá being sent off, Borja Mayoral missing a penalty, Enes Ünal finding the net from a rebound, and David Soria delivering a standout performance, Getafe managed a rally in the goalless draw against Rayo Vallecano (1-1). The result left Quique Sánchez Flores’ position looking uncertain, as his team barely scraped through the tense clash.
Getafe, who usually shine in derbies, found themselves chasing the game after an unusual sequence that transformed a dominant start into a battle. They showed resilience but could not breathe easily until the final whistle, with David Soria making a decisive save on Raúl de Tomás’s penalty to preserve a share of the points.
Andoni Iraola’s Rayo arrived at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez at a moment when the venue rarely disappoints them. The home crowd rallied behind Getafe for a crucial point in a match that carried high stakes for the coach’s future, marking a second consecutive points salvage operation by the Azulones.
The images circulating on social media reflected a celebratory mood among fans, underscoring the derby’s intensity and the high emotions in a game that always carries extra weight for both sides.
Earlier in the season, Getafe’s coach had secured a late win against Atlético, with Enes Ünal delivering a decisive goal. The current clash continued that narrative, a late save pressing home the idea that the coach could still salvage the campaign.
The statistics suggested a tough night for Quique Sánchez Flores, with Getafe’s form against Rayo at their own stadium revealing a notable gap in results. The numbers hinted at a potential sting as a derby approached the Colosseum, where a large swing in momentum could influence the mood around both teams.
There was a clear distance in league position between the two sides, with Rayo aiming for Champions League contention and Getafe locked in relegation battles. Yet the fixture delivered drama that reminded everyone of the unpredictable nature of the season and the pressure on both benches.
Iraola opted for a strong start, reinserting Álvaro García and dropping Andrés Martín, while Quique abandoned his usual formation in favor of a classical 4-4-2 that included Gonzalo Villar and a flexible midfield pairing. The on-loan midfielder from Roma, Villar, appeared in a pivotal moment before being forced off due to injury, leaving Getafe with a sharpened but strained engine in the middle of the park.
Yet Villar was not the hero of the opening period. Mauro Arambarri, described by Sánchez Flores as the Azulones’ franchise player, was everywhere, driving the action on both ends of the pitch and embodying the team’s best and worst moments alike.
The match continued with Getafe not dominating possession but converting chances into real danger. The Uruguayan striker mediated much of Getafe’s attacking intent, and despite Enes Ünal, Domingos Duarte, and Omar Alderete’s efforts on several headers, the goal remained elusive until the late stages. A fierce shot from outside the area nearly unsettled Dimitrievski as the clock ticked down.
An own goal began a sequence of misfortunes for Getafe, who only managed a single serious foray into the opposition box before conceding. Off a corner from Isi Palazón, the ball deflected in off a Getafe defender, rewarding Iraola’s players for relentless pressure and a bit of fortune.
The game’s momentum swung in the first ten minutes after the restart, as Getafe’s fate seemed uncertain. A missed penalty by Borja Mayoral, followed by Carles Aleñá receiving a double yellow card, forced Getafe into a defending posture with a draw now preferable to victory.
Despite the setbacks, Getafe did not crumble. They steadied themselves and mounted pressure, with Munir Al Haddadi driving forward, Portu providing width, and a series of sharp interventions from Soria ensuring the draw could be saved in the final seconds. A crucial save by the Moroccan, followed by a later block on a shot from Fran García, kept the scoreboard balanced and preserved the chance for a late comeback.
Then, fortune aligned for Getafe. Ünal carved a path through Dimitrievski’s defense, and a rebound off the Macedonian keeper rebalanced the tie. Munir quickly followed with another effort, and the door to a second opportunity opened wide as the minutes ticked away.
With the clock almost spent, Soria delivered a dramatic closing sequence, stopping Raúl de Tomás with a sprawling save that denied a late reverse and kept Getafe within reach of a vital result. The tense finale underscored the derby’s brutality and the relief felt by Getafe’s supporters as the whistle finally blew and the points were shared, a verdict that added another layer to the campaign’s high-stakes narrative.