For a team who were handed another chance of life in La Liga, Getafe are not making the most of it. Acquiring just 10 points in their final nine games of last season, Getafe plummeted from 8th into the drop zone. Ultimately, they avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth - a convenient final day draw with Real Sociedad confirming their unlikely survival. Starting in Spain's top division for the eighth consecutive season appeared to be something their new Dubai-based owners didn't wish to take for granted; in came impressive Levante boss Luis Garcia, as well as Juan Rodriguez and Alberto Lopo from relegated Deportivo. But the loss of influential trio Juan Angel Albin, Manu Del Moral and Daniel Parejo for a measly combined fee of 12.5m euros has seen regression as opposed to progression. Getafe are rooted to the bottom of the table with just one win in 10 - their poorest start to a La Liga campaign. Not even Venezuelan striker Miku, fresh from a superb Copa America campaign, has been able to fire Getafe up the table this season. His four goals account for almost half of his side's league goals, but los Azulones still find themselves on a mere seven points. LA LIGA FIXTURES Saturday, November 5 Real Mallorca v Sevilla, 17.00 Real Betis v Malaga, 19.00 Levante v Valencia, 21,00 Sunday, November 6 Real Madrid v Osasuna, 11.00 Granada v Racing, 15.00 Zaragoza v Sporting, 15.00 Rayo v Real Sociedad, 17.00 Espanyol v Villarreal, 17.00 Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona, 19.00 Getafe v Atletico, 21.00 Luis Garcia's men need to start winning and soon - unfortunately for them, a local derby with Atletico Madrid awaits. Local derbies are not ideal when under pressure at the best of times, but Getafe's record against Atletico is enough to abandon hope. They've beaten Atletico just once at home and three times overall; furthermore, Atletico have failed to score at Coliseum Alfonso Perez just once. But Atletico haven't scored away from home all season, picking up just one point from a possible 15. Hope for Luis Garcia and Getafe, then, especially if Falcao continues his barren spell. The Colombian striker has scored just one league goal since hitting five in two against Sporting and Racing Santander in September. With Atletico 10th in the league and eight points off 4th, it could be argued the Rojiblancos need the win as much as Getafe - especially given supporters were chanting for Luis Aragones to take charge of the club throughout their last home game. For Gregorio Manzano, the Atletico manager, and his Getafe counterpart Luis Garcia, a win might be more than just three points and local bragging rights - it could decide their own job status. The derby of delight Luis Garcia could be forgiven for casting a wistful glance towards Ciutat de Valencia. While his Getafe side strive for improvement, the club he left have become one of the stories of the season - not just in Spain, but in world football. For the first time in nearly half a century, Levante entertain Valencia sitting in a loftier league position than their more celebrated opponents. The fact they enter this game disappointed after relinquishing top spot last week shows how much they've achieved already this season. Having reached the summit of Spain's football ladder for the first time in their 102-year history, some cynics would suggest natural order had been restored after their 2-0 defeat to Osasuna. But Juan Ignacio Martinez's side sit two points ahead of 4th placed Valencia and six ahead of Sevilla in 5th, meaning an unthinkable Champions League berth is still within their sights - especially if they can bounce back from their Osasuna setback. Valencia may not hand Levante the three points this weekend, but one thing they already have handed their lesser-known rivals is respect. A small section of Valencia fans were foiled in an attempt to sing anti-Levante songs against Bayer Leverkusen after the rest of Mestalla drowned them out with whistles and boos. Unai Emery will be hoping his Valencia side won't show too much respect, however; a win here puts them above Levante and further establishes their Champions League qualification credentials. He'll be pleased to know Levante have scored just one goal in their last four meetings with Los Che - but much to his chagrin, he knows this Levante side is a different one than any previous incumbent. A return to normality Levante's slip-up means normality has almost been restored - Real Madrid and Barcelona occupying the top two positions in La Liga. It is Real who sit atop of the table at the moment with a one point advantage and a home game against Osasuna next up, while Barcelona face a difficult trip to Athletic Bilbao up. Barca were phenomenal against Mallorca, with Lionel Messi scoring his first hat trick of the week in a 5-0 win - he would later grab another in their Champions League fixture against Viktoria Plzen. Some have commented that the Barca juggernaut is yet to fully power, despite scoring 54 goals in 17 competitive games this season. Last season, it was not until November 23 they topped the table with their 5-0 demolition of Real, so Pep Guardiola's men will not be too worried at the current standings. If it's true the juggernaut hasn't been in full force so far this season in an attacking sense, the same can't be said of Barcelona at the back; they haven't conceded in nine straight games. Valencia's Pablo Hernandez was the last player to score past the champions on September 21. But Marcelo Bielsa's Athletic will fancy their chances to ending that run. The Basque side are beginning to adapt to Bielsea's swashbuckling style; they have scored in the past nine games and failed to bag in just one league game all season. Villarreal finally afloat Elsewhere, Sevilla hope to banish last week's shock defeat to Rayo away to Mallorca, Real Betis will look to end a run of six straight league defeats at home to a Malaga side fortunate to take three points last week against Espanyol, while Granada will hope to build on an impressive 2-1 win at Sevilla when Racing Santander visit Los Carmenes. Villarreal will be hoping their struggles are over when they travel to Espanyol; the Yellow Submarines recorded just their second league win of the season with a 2-0 win against Rayo and will travel to Estadi Cornella El Prat knowing a win could propel them into the top half. Zaragoza and Sporting, 15th and 17th respectively, face off in what could prove a six-pointer given both side's problems this season, while Rayo will look to inflict a fifth straight away defeat upon Real Sociedad.
