Getafe sold to Royal Emirates Group - again - but from 2012

Getafe president Ángel Torres today announced that the sale of the Madrid club to the Royal Emirates Group of Dubai will take place only in July 2012.

In the latest in a long line of confusing statements to emanate from the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez and the Arabian Gulf, Torres said, "Since we don't want to go into debt and we want to be different, we have to seek investment.

"The Royal Emirates are the new owners of the team, because they hold 99.3% of the shares."

How REG can own Torres' shares yet not actually effect their purchase until 2012 is not immediately apparent.

Torres further added that he will remain in charge of the club for "four to six years", during which there will be a "culture change", and the two organisations will "grow together."

The president did work to allay fans' fears by declaring that the club crest and blue colour will not be changed, amidst rumours of a 'Team Dubai' rebranding.

The exact status of Getafe CF, then, remains unclear, although slightly less unclear than this time last week.

Mallorca 2-0 Getafe: Survival still not assured after poor showing in Palma

1-0 Nunes 25'

2-0 Aki 67'

Back to losing ways after last week's success, Getafe offer little at Mallorca...

... Results elsewhere make for sobering reading for coach Míchel...

Getafe's quest for Liga survival continutes after a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Real Mallorca in Palma.

The hosts were superior throughout, and a goal in each half saw to it that the Barralets themselves all but secured their place in the Spanish top flight for the 2011-12 campaign thanks to Jose Nunes and Akihiro 'Aki' Ienaga.

The Catalan side took the lead in the 25th minute when Nunes headed home unmarked at the near post following a Sergio Tejera corner: one of the easiest goals he'll ever score.

Míchel made two substitutions at the break, altering Geta's formation in the process, but this failed to bear fruit as Mallorca managed a second goal.

Substitute Aki doubled the advantage with 23 minutes left to go, the Japanese netting a goal nearly identical to the first, with Dani Parejo failing to pick up his man.

The Azulones missed two gilt-edged chances as the clock ran down, Javier Arizmendi fluffing an easy opportunity before Miku hit the post, and thus the visitors left all three points on the island.

With survival still not assured and the club's future up in the air, Getafe face a tough trip to Villarreal next Sunday. After that comes the visit of Almería in a game that is incredibly vital, especially in light of the fact that Hércules and Málaga both managed victories today.

Mallorca: Aouate; Joao Victor, Nunes, Ramis, Ayode; Tejera (Aki 60), Martí; Nsue, De Guzmán, Castro (Víctor Casadesús 69); Webó (Cendrós 90). Getafe: Ustari; Miguel Torres, Cata Díaz, Marcano, Mané; Víctor Sánchez (Sardinero 46), Boateng, Casquero (Arizmendi 67), Parejo; Colunga (Pedro Ríos 46), Miku.

Getafe sold to Royal Emirates Group

Ángel Torres has effected the sale of Getafe CF to the Royal Emirates Group of Dubai. REG managing director Kaiser Rafiq signed the papers along with the Geta president mid-afternoon local time in the Gulf emirate, meaning that the Azulones are the third Liga outfit to have Asian ownership after Racing Santander and Málaga.

What this means for Getafe and its future is uncertain. Whether or not the team's name will change, how much investment there will be in the playing staff, even if Torres retains his position - none of this is yet known.

Geta are yet to make a formal announcement about the sale, but it is expected to weigh in at a €90m transaction. REG have promised to bring "new blood" to the club and to promote it throughout the Middle East.

Getafe "Team Dubai" closer to fruition - Angel Torres expected to sell to Arab consortium

Worrying and exciting times lie ahead for Getafe fans. According to Reuters, it seems that the sale of the club to the Royal Emirates Group is set to go ahead, although what this means for Geta's name and tradition is very much uncertain.

The REG announced earlier in the week the acquisition of a Spanish club for around €90m - an extraordinary sum, if it applies to Getafe - and the desire to re-brand it to "Team Dubai."

Club president Angel Torres and captain Manu del Moral are in Dubai and will be present at the formal announcement on Thursday.

Meanwhile fans look on with growing concern at what could happen to the symbols of their club and city, mixed with a smaller measure of excitement at the prospect of investment.

Getafe Team Dubai? No clarity around Middle Eastern investment

Angel Torres is in Dubai, flanked by Getafe captain Manu del Moral. The club president is seeking investment - at least, that's what he says. Per Marca:

"I haven't sold the club to anyone. I'm working as other clubs do - Atlético Madrid, Hércules...

"[We're in Dubai] only to find solutions for next season... I've come with the idea of meeting to gain sponsors to improve the image of Getafe and get a new name for the stadium."

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Royal Emirates Group Kaiser Rafiq of the Royal Emirates Group tells AP that his company had purchased a Spanish football team. AP later cites Rafiq as saying that jerseys, stadium and other merchandise would be branded with Team Dubai - but not the club's name itself.

Earlier it was thought that Real Zaragoza were the club to be bought out. Now it's less clear. Have Getafe been bought? Have they been invested in?

Above all, is this real?

Apparently all will be revealed on Thursday... but for now it's worth noting that the logo above was only last modified this morning, that the domain name was only registered today, April 19th, and that it's hosted by Bluehost, based out of Utah, USA, as opposed to a hosting company in Spain or the Middle East. Not that this is anywhere near conclusive, of course.

Getafe 1-0 Sevilla: Three at last! Three at last!

1-0 Miku 75'

Getafe manage their first win in over two months against a lacklustre Sevilla side...
... Not a perfect performance, but more than a match for the jaded visitors...

The Coliseum Alfonso Pérez crowd was treated on Saturday evening to that rarest of sights - a Getafe victory. For just the second time since the New Year the Azulones picked up all three points, this time against a Sevilla side who offered extremely little.

Nonetheless with Málaga thrashing Mallorca, relegation remains very much an open question, and coach Míchel must be prepared to build on this victory rather than considering the season a closed matter.

Sevilla had good reason to start the game well, given their 3-1 loss at home to Geta back in November, but in fact seemed content to give the visitors the initiative.

Geta attempted to use width and versatility in midfield, with Dani Parejo and Javier Casquero deployed either side of Víctor Sánchez in a formation bereft of traditional lateral options.

This bore little fruit for either side but it was certainly the case that Getafe were far the more comfortable on the ball, and the first half closed with little danger to the home net.

The second period was slightly more active, Miku showing plenty of activity and the otherwise-disappointing Adrián Sardinero testing Javi Varas with a fine drive just before the hour mark.

It was Venezuelan striker Miku who opened the scoring fifteen minutes from time, bringing down an excellent Dani Parejo through ball with admirable technique before slotting under Varas.

Sevilla failed to react to this setback and deservedly left with nothing, their Champions League hopes now almost completely eliminated as their Europa League target itself begins to appear difficult.

Geta are on 37 points as they await the outcome of the rest of the relegation fixtures. The Madrid outfit travel to Mallorca next Sunday.

Getafe: Ustari; Miguel Torres (Borja 75), Cata Díaz, Marcano, Mané; Parejo, Víctor Sánchez, Casquero; Colunga (Arizmendi 61), Miku, Adrián Sardinero. Sevilla: Javi Varas; Cáceres, Alexis, Fazio, Fernando Navarro; Renato (Diego Capel 75), Medel, Rakitic, Dabo (Alfaro 75); Rodri (Luis Alberto 63), Negredo.

Zaragoza 2-1 Getafe: Azulones' race to relegation continues apace

1-0 Ponzio 13'
2-0 Bertolo 25'
2-1 Casquero 45'

Another embarrassing defeat for Getafe all but ends survival hopes...
... Visitors are relegation stick-ons while Zaragoza can dream of survival...

Getafe can look forward to Segunda División football next season after falling to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of their relegation rivals of Real Zaragoza.

With the visitors needing at least a point to arrest their recent slide, instead they surrendered early and ended up on the end of a deserved loss.

The Azulones are four points clear of the dropzone on paper, but with the worst winless run in the division and an array of difficult road games coming up, it seems as though Getafe's Primera adventure has come to an end.

Zaragoza were dominant in the opening stages and were rewarded for their ambition with a goal. Leonardo Ponzio took the ball unopposed from the centre circle to 20 yards from goal before shooting low and true past Oscar Ustari.

The hosts doubled their advantage in the 35th minute with a splinded counter-attack orchestrated by none other than former Getafe striker Ikechukwu Uche. The Nigerian broke from his own half into Geta territory before unleashing a tremendous through ball to Nicolás Bertolo, who made no mistake when one-on-one with Ustari.

Javier Casquero gave Getafe a glimmer of hope just before the break with a thundering drive from eight yards after Zaragoza failed to clear their lines of a Pedro Ríos cross.

Both sides had their chances in the second period, but the hosts were largely in control and thus merited their three points. Indeed, Getafe played the final eight minutes with just ten men after Manu del Moral left the pitch due to injury with no substitutes available, further underlining the ease of the Blanquillos' task.

Zaragoza move up to 17th place on 33 points, one fewer than Getafe. Geta welcome Sevilla to the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez on Saturday.

Zaragoza: Toni Doblas; Diogo, da Silva, Lanzaro, Obradovic; Ponzio (Jorge López 69'), Gabi; Boutahar (Lafita 85'), Ander (N'Daw 74'), Bertolo; Uche. Getafe: Ustari; Miguel Torres, Cata Díaz, Marcano, Mané; Pedro Ríos (Adrián Sardinero 46'), Casquero (Arizmendi 80'), Boateng, Manu del Moral; Miku (Parejo 68'), Colunga.

Getafe 2-4 Valencia: Another defensive collapse spells crisis at the Coliseum

Defensive calamity sees Getafe throw it all away...
... Relegation a genuine concern at the Coliseum...

Getafe's habit of throwing away leads returned in emphatic fashion on Saturday as Valencia stormed back to take a 4-2 win from the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, with former home favourite Roberto Soldado weighing in with a hat-trick.

On-form Manu del Moral got the ball rolling for Getafe early on with a low drive from the edge of the area after a wonderful one-two with Pablo Mosquera.

But the hosts' joy was to last only seconds after the break, as Soldado was on hand to equalise with a first-time slotted shot under Oscar Ustari after Cata Díaz failed to deal with a fine through ball from Juan Mata.

The ex-Real Madrid man was on target again just after the hour mark with a shot from a similar range and angle, with Jonas this time playing provider past a static Getafe defence for Soldado to take advantage.

Two minutes later Soldado had his hat-trick. Mané's lack of control saw him lose the ball ten yards out from the box, allowing the striker to steal possession and beat Ustari for a third time.

Soldado wasn't finished yet as with thirteen minutes to go Mata once again set up the Spanish international to beat his marker and slot in from close range.

Adrián Sardinero pulled one back with three minutes to go as the tireless Manu del Moral played the young substitute through on goal to fire home at the near post, but it was too little, too late.

With the rest of the relegation pack still to play Getafe are just five points clear of relegation. Next week's trip to Zaragoza is looking increasingly like a make-or-break occasion.

Getafe: Ustari; Miguel Torres, Cata Díaz, Iván Marcano, Mané; Borja (Adrián Sardinero 73), Parejo; Arizmendi (Víctor Sánchez 80), Pablo Mosquera (Pedro Ríos 66), Manu del Moral; Miku. Valencia: César; Bruno, Ricardo Costa (Stankevicius 57), Dealbert, Mathieu (Jordi Alba 81); Mehmet Topal, Tino Costa; Pablo Hernández, Jonas (Maduro 79), Juan Mata; Soldado.