Both clubs have a track record of rising to the occasion and will be out to test the staying power of the top two who had demanding road trips in the Champions League during the week.
Real beat BATE Borisov 1-0 in a freezing Minsk on Tuesday to qualify for the last 16, but have found Getafe's Coliseum an equally inhospitable venue despite being just down the road.
Getafe's new coach Victor Munoz has so far struggled to reach the standards set under Michael Laudrup last season, when the side reached their second consecutive King's Cup final and the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup. They lie 14th.
Last weekend, however, they reverted to type, tripping up Barcelona at the Nou Camp and ending the leaders' nine-match winning streak with an intelligent tactical display to draw 1-1.
"The draw in Barcelona has given us a lot of confidence for Saturday's game," Getafe striker Manu del Moral said.
"Real arrive wounded, with a lot of injuries, and it seems not playing very well. But they are who they are and have players who can turn a game in a moment."
Media talk of a crisis at the Bernabeu due to a spate of injuries and their exit from the King's Cup look premature with the side now second in the standings, though their recent performances have not been convincing.
"I am in good shape and felt fine today. A few days ago I had a scare but luckily that's all it was," Messi said afterwards.
