Getafe will have to do without Roberto Soldado as they look to close the five-point gap on Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

Soldado has struck 12 league goals this season - twice as many as his nearest team-mate - but he is set to be missing for the next five weeks after yesterday undergoing surgery on a knee injury.

The twice-capped Spain international leaves a big hole to fill, but left-back Mane insists they can cope with the loss of the former Real Madrid hitman and will be going out for the win against Athletic.

"I think Manu (del Moral) said the other day that Soldado is a very important player for us. He`s scored a lot of goals and it`s clear that his absence is a big one for the team," said Mane.

"But I think that there are other players who are well, and who are competing hard and will now have the opportunity to show what they can do."

Despite Soldado not finishing the match, Getafe enjoyed a boost last Saturday when they defeated fifth-placed Real Mallorca 3-0.

That result meant not one of the five teams immediately above eighth-placed Getafe recorded a win last weekend, and left Michel's side six points off the Europa League spots and eight off the Champions League places.

Tomorrow they will get the chance to move to within two points of seventh-placed Athletic, and Mane insists they will go out looking for the victory at San Mames.

"I never think about a draw. The team is full of winners and we will go there to win. If at the end we draw, we will find out at the end of the season if it's a good result or a bad one," he said.

"It`s a very important game for us, for our Europa League aspirations, but it`s not a definitive game because we know that there is still a lot of the season left with many matches between direct rivals."

Regarding the famously passionate atmosphere they are likely to find at San Mames, where Athletic have won their last five league games, Mane added: "Any player would be motivated by playing there.

"Playing at San Mames is one of the nicest experiences, it`s a very English-style ground."

Aside from Soldado, Getafe boss Michel will also be without Mario Alvarez, but Kepa Blanco and Fabio Celestini have recovered from their problems and have been included in an 18-man travelling squad.

In-form Athletic were unfortunate not to make it three wins in their last four matches last weekend after drawing 0-0 at Sporting Gijon in a game they dominated.

A win there would have put Athletic just a point off the Champions League places, but they are still in a strong position heading into the final stretch of the season.

Coach Joaquin Caparros has named the same squad as the one that faced Sporting with Gorka Iraizoz, Andoni Iraola, Igor Gabilondo and Xabi Castillo all having shaken off knocks. Aitor Ocio, Ion Velez, Oscar De Marcos and Iban Zubiaurre remain out.