Laudrup's beautiful moment lifts Getafe

Getafe CF will be backed by a full Coliseum Alfonso Pérez when the European debutants welcome FC Bayern München for a UEFA Cup quarter-final tie that is poised at 1-1 thanks to Cosmin Contra's last-minute goal in Bavaria.

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The hope for the sell-out home crowd is that Getafe's thrilling run on their introduction to continental competition will continue beyond this second-leg match. Since edging past FC Twente in the UEFA Cup first round, Michael Laudrup's side have blossomed – where, before the group stage, they had won just one of their opening nine Primera División games, they are now comfortably mid-table and in a second successive Copa del Rey final. And against European heavyweights in Bayern, the team from the Madrid suburbs are gaining support from outside the usual circles. "The people here are 100 per cent behind this team," Laudrup said. "It's not only people from Getafe, but people who have their own clubs who are supporting us right now. People from outside Madrid have been calling to give us a lift and wish us luck. It's a beautiful moment for the club."

Absentee list
Although Getafe have the advantage of an away goal, achieving a semi-final place against either FC Zenit St. Petersburg or Bayer 04 Leverkusen will be tricky with Esteban Granero suspended and with injuries to defenders Mario (calf) and Cata Diaz (knee) and also to midfielder Pablo Hernández (thigh). The return from a ban of defender Lucas Licht is one consolation for Laudrup, who remains upbeat despite a run of five winless matches which includes Sunday's 0-0 draw at FC Barcelona.

High hopes
"This time we have home advantage and the knowledge that we achieved a phenomenal result in Munich," he said. "It's going to be a very special game against a European football giant and we're going into it with all the hope in the world. It's going to be an open match where both sides will have their chances. Dreaming won't get us through, but playing well will. If we go out with the mentality we had in the second half in Munich, we're going to give ourselves every opportunity."

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Ottmar Hitzfeld believes his Bayern team are entering the second leg in much better spirits than they finished the first, after Sunday's 3-1 win against VfL Bochum 1848 helped them establish a nine-point Bundesliga lead. "We showed why we deserved to be top," the coach said. "Getafe are a very well-organised side who pose a threat up front. We will have to try to interrupt their rhythm but, above all, we want to demonstrate the qualities that we have." Bayern travelled to Madrid without Daniel Van Buyten and Hamit Altıntop, because of their respective knee and foot injuries. Asked if Bayern should be considered favourites to advance, Hitzfeld said: "No matter what competition we are in, we are always among the favourites."