It is only a friendly and the result counts for nothing.

But, if there is a pre-season game which can offer a guide as to what will follow in the league, surely it is the final one.

Albion face Getafe tomorrow in the last of just three friendly fixtures.

It is a return of foreign opposition to the Amex after last season’s enforced break.

Fairly obviously, Getafe were not the opponents Albion had in mind when they spoke of a prestige fixture to celebrate ten years at the stadium.

The challenges of Covid controls saw to that.

But 16th in the Premier League versus 15th in LaLiga Santander is a pretty good match-up.

Usually when a European team visit, they are at a slight disadvantage in that they still have longer to go before their league games kick in.

Not so this time. Getafe play Valencia next Friday, at which time the Seagulls will be nestled in their hotel in the North West ready to take on Burnley at Turf Moor the next afternoon.

So how good a guide have those final, or more prestige, friendlies been in recent years?

Not bad, actually.

For example, the 1-0 win over Sevilla in 2015, secured by a goal from new boy Tomer Hemed, was a decent sign that Chris Hughton had done wonders during his first pre-season at the club.

Albion won because of a penalty award which was generous in the extreme, allowing Hemed to convert as he settled in after his move from Almeria.

But the manner of the display against Unai Emery’s Europa League winners promised much.

The last run out before the promotion season a year later was a 1-0 defeat to Lazio.

The display was described as “middling” in our live report on the day.

“Not a bad performance by Albion, who were up against a good side, but not one to get you bursting with enthusiasm either.”

The game saw Bruno play in central defence alongside Lewis Dunk.

The skipper started the season in that role before Shane Duffy was brought in from Blackburn.

One of the most exciting seasons of the Amex era was preceded by one of the best friendlies.

The Seagulls came from 1-0 down against Champions League winners Chelsea to prevail 3-1 through Ashley Barnes, Vicente and the returning Andrew Crofts.

That was not the last pre-season fixture, with Michel Kuipers’ testimonial against Reading to follow.

But it was arguably the main event and (quite rightly) sent hopes soaring for the season which lay ahead.

BRIGHTON SUFFER DANNY WELBECK SETBACK

Back in 2017, Albion were preparing for their Premier League debut and took on Atletico Madrid in front of a full house.

Atleti nicked it 3-2 but Albion had shown they had enough to compete with big names.

If you want to go back further, the 1-0 win for League One Albion versus SPL side Aberdeen in 2010 showed great things were on the way, both for the home team and goalscorer Elliott Bennett.

Other summers have offered less promise. In 2013, Albion were still shell-shocked to a degree by Gus Poyet’s acrimonious exit.

Pre-season saw them lose 3-1 to Villarreal and draw 1-1 with Norwich, both at the Amex.

BRIGHTON EXPECTED TO BRING BACK BIG GUNS AGAINST GETAFE

We shrugged it all off at the time but those performances and results suggested some of the impetus had gone.

That said, Oscar Garcia managed to drag them into the play-offs.

Solly March gave a hint of his potential with a cracker against the Canaries, cutting in from the right.

And how about 2014? Two awful kits and one awful performance, by the home side as they were outclassed by Southampton.

It ended 3-1 but the men in navy and yellow could easily have put those in gaudy orange to the sword by a wider margin. We were concerned about what lay in store in 2014-15 - and we were right to be.