In this Jan 4, 2020 file photo, Real Madrid's Spanish defender Dani Carvajal runs with the ball during the Spanish league football match between Getafe CF and Real Madrid CF at the Col. Alfonso Perez stadium in Getafe. (OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)

MADRID — Real Madrid will take a big step closer to this season's La Liga title if they beat Getafe in the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium on Thursday night.

Consecutive 2-2 draws for FC Barcelona, away to Celta Vigo on Saturday and at home to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, means a win against Getafe would lift Zinedine Zidane's side four points clear at the top of the table with just five games left and with a superior head-to-head goal difference.

Getafe has had a day less to prepare for Thursday after beating Real Sociedad on Monday night, 24 hours after Madrid's 1-0 win away to Espanyol

That would give Madrid a reasonable cushion for Sunday's awkward visit to Bilbao and a home game against Villarreal, who has been one of the form teams in Spain since the return of football three weeks ago.

Zidane will once again be without Luka Jovic, Nacho Fernandez and Lucas Vazquez, but the depth of the Madrid squad means he still has plenty of options all over the pitch, except perhaps at right-back, where Dani Carvajal is a fixture.

One player sure to start is Karim Benzema, who is Madrid's top scorer with 17 goals this campaign and who has been in excellent form since the return to action. However, with just 62 hours between the end of Thursday's game and Sunday's 2 pm kick-off in Bilbao, Zidane will have to decide whether to rest players for the weekend or put out his strongest side against Getafe.

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Any changes to the side are likely to be at left-back, where Fernand Mendy and Marcelo, both have options, while Vinicius Jr could start on the left after resting on Sunday, Luka Modric and Marco Asensio could also have options.

Getafe has had a day less to prepare for Thursday after beating Real Sociedad on Monday night, 24 hours after Madrid's 1-0 win away to Espanyol.

They currently sit fifth in the table, five points from fourth place Sevilla and need a win to keep their slim options of qualifying for next season's Champions League intact.

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Jose Bordalas' side tends to be hard to break down and in attack has attacking options in strikers Angel Rodriguez, Jaime Mata and Jorge Molina, which means Zidane will probably not risk giving rest to central defenders Sergio Ramos or Raphael Varane in defense.