Getafe draw Ajax and Brighton in Conference League league phase

Getafe have been handed a Conference League league-phase draw featuring a standout trip to Ajax and a high-profile home meeting with Brighton, as the Spanish side prepare for a six-match European campaign.

Getafe will host Brighton, Lugano and Inter Escaldes at the Coliseum, while their three away fixtures will take them to Ajax, Universitatea Craiova and Iberia Tbilisi.

The trip to Amsterdam is the obvious headline fixture.

Ajax carry the greatest European pedigree of any opponent on Getafe’s schedule and should provide the clearest indication of how competitive the LaLiga side can be against one of the stronger names in the competition.

Brighton’s visit offers a different type of test.

The Premier League side bring greater intensity and recent European experience, but home advantage gives Getafe a realistic opportunity to turn one of their most difficult fixtures into a significant source of points.

The remaining home programme is more favourable.

Lugano have established themselves as regular European participants and should not be underestimated, but Getafe will still expect to approach that match from a position of strength. Inter Escaldes, meanwhile, represent the lowest-profile opponent in the draw and a fixture in which the Spanish side will be expected to take maximum points.

Away from home, Universitatea Craiova add another competitive test in Romania, while Iberia Tbilisi introduce the longest and most unfamiliar trip of Getafe’s league phase.

That travel component adds an important layer to the draw.

Conference League teams play only six league-phase matches, meaning there is less room to recover from an unexpected defeat than in the eight-game Europa League format.

For Getafe, the pathway is therefore relatively clear. Strong home results against Lugano and Inter Escaldes should provide the foundation, while the fixtures against Ajax and Brighton will determine how high the Spanish side can realistically climb in the 36-team table.

Finishing inside the top eight would secure direct qualification for the round of 16, while teams placed ninth to 24th must enter a two-legged knockout play-off.

The league phase begins on October 15 and concludes on December 17, with UEFA still to confirm the exact order and kick-off times of Getafe’s six fixtures.