Getafe lost 2-1 in Belgrade and still went through. The 3-1 from the first leg gave them just enough margin to withstand an uncomfortable return against Partizan, sealed with a 4-3 aggregate that brings the club back to a European group stage seven years on. Bordalás, who was already in charge for that last continental campaign, has taken them back to Europe.

The opening was a siege. Partizan went at the game from the first minute, pinned Getafe inside their own box and strung together corners and free-kicks on the edge of the area without the visitors managing to play out. Seck and Jeh found space down the flanks, and in the 21st minute a Serbian effort came back off the post. The first half ended goalless, with the ball almost permanently at the feet of Sasa Ilic's side and a deep-lying Getafe that grew as the half wore on.

The most serious warning came in the 27th minute. Vukotic swung a ball into the box and Milic headed it towards the far post, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a review. Before the break Getafe pushed up and created two clear openings: a Mangala strike from the edge of the area that shaved the post, and a Terrats run into the box that Krunic cleared.

The game broke open in the second half. In the 54th minute an error playing out from the back left Jeh unmarked on the edge of the box and the forward drilled a low-to-mid shot past David Soria. Getafe responded immediately with a one-on-one from Ünal that Krunic turned behind for a corner, and in the 69th the Turkish striker made no mistake: he latched onto a ball inside the area and beat the keeper with a shot across goal. That was the goal that settled the tie.

Partizan went ahead again in the 76th, with a Kojzek volley following a lay-off from Miladinovic that Getafe protested without success. From there the Serbian side threw everything forward and the visitors dropped deep. Kojzek had the last chance in stoppage time, a header from inside the six-yard box that went wide and confirmed Getafe's passage.

Bordalás lined up with Soria; Femenía, Sazonov, Djené, Romero, Mojica; Terrats, Mangala, Francho; Ünal and Satriano. He brought on Andrés García for Sazonov in the 38th, already booked, Mario Martín for Francho in the 68th, and Borja Mayoral and Davinchi for Ünal and Mojica in the 81st. Sazonov, Satriano, Mangala, Romero and Mayoral were booked; for Partizan only Vukotic saw a card. The hosts finished with 60.3% possession and doubled Getafe's shot count, twelve to six.

The club now enters the league-phase draw, which takes place this Friday at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.