Barcelona will look to return to winning ways when they host Getafe after having played out a draw against Napoli.
Getafe are all set to hit to road to square up against defending champions Barcelona. The reigning La Liga champions have not had the best of seasons so far, but things could still end the way they want if they manage to get the desired results from here on. Meanwhile, the visitors have done a decent job so far, and a win here could be a huge boost for their team.
Xavi has already decided to part ways with Barcelona at the end of the season. Irrespective of whatever happens, the former Spanish international will leave in the summer. While they are on the lookout for a new boss, they still have a season to take care of.
Barcelona are third in La Liga, eight points behind league leaders Real Madrid. And if they drop any more points, they will not only lose the chance of defending the league title, but their place in the top four could also come under threat. For now, they are heading into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw against Napoli.
It was not their best performance, but they were still the better team on the night. A similar showing could get them a win over Getafe, who are currently tenth on the points table. They have won eight matches and played out a draw on ten occasions so far.
Things have slowed down a touch as they have only won two out of their last five games. And, the Azulones are heading into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw against Villarreal. While the opposition dominated the proceedings, Getafe still managed to come out with a point to their name.
If they want a point against Barcelona, the visitors will have to be at their very best. It promises to be an exciting fixture and The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Barcelona
Barcelona will be without the services of Ferran Torres, Alejandro Balde, Gavi, and Marcos Alonso. Joao Felix and Sergi Roberto were back in the squad for their previous fixture, and they are expected to push for a place in the starting XI here.
Lamine Yamal’s fitness levels will be assessed, and Raphinha could be given the nod to feature from the start in place of the teenager. Meanwhile, Xavi is not expected to make major changes to the XI that started against Napoli.
Xavi will stick to the 4-3-3 formation, where Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be in goal. Jules Kounde should retain his place at right-back, while Joao Cancelo will feature on the left, with Balde out injured. Meanwhile, in the heart of the defence, Ronald Araujo will start alongside Inigo Martinez.
Andreas Christensen will once again feature in the centre of the park, and he will have the support of Frenkie de Jong and Ilkay Gundogan. The trio will look to dictate the pace and control the tempo of the game. Pedri will feature on the left flank, while Raphinha will replace Yamal in the XI, and Robert Lewandowski will lead the line for Barcelona against Getafe.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Inigo Martinez, Cancelo; Gundogan, Christensen, Frenkie de Jong; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Pedri
Getafe
The visitors will be without the services of Mauro Arambarri, who is out for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, the availability of Fabrizio Angileri is a doubt, while Jordi Martin will undergo late checks after being forced off last time out.
Getafe will go ahead with the 4-4-2 formation, where David Soria will be in goal. Juan Iglesias and Diego Rico will take charge as the full-backs, while Djene Dakonam will feature alongside Omar Alderete in the heart of the defence.
Mason Greenwood and Carles Alena will feature outwide in the centre of the park. The duo will provide width to their attack and will look to create goalscoring chances for their team. Greenwood is on the radar of Barcelona, and this could be a very important game for him.
Luis Milla will feature alongside Nemanja Maksimovic in a more central role. The duo will look to ensure they do not allow the home team’s midfielders to dominate the proceedings. Up top, Borja Mayoral will feature alongside Jaime Mata.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Soria; Iglesias, Dakonam, Alderete, Rico; Greenwood, Maksimovic, Milla, Alena; Mayoral, Mata
Key Stats
- Barcelona have been unbeaten in their last five matches in all competitions, and they will look to make it six.
- Getafe have only picked up ten points from their 13 away games this season, and they have only won one game on the road.
- The Catalan giants have lost three times at home in the league this season.
- Barcelona are the third-highest-scoring team in the division. (52 goals scored)
- Getafe have played three goalless draws against Barcelona in their last four meetings in La Liga.
Player to Watch
Raphinha
Raphinha will most probably start ahead of Lamine Yamal in this fixture, and Xavi Hernandez will expect the Brazil international to deliver. He has featured in a total of 17 league games and has contributed towards eight goals in under 800 minutes of first-team action.
He has found the back of the net on three occasions while bagging five assists. Despite not being the preferred choice this season, the Brazil international has still done his bit, and the Catalan giants will expect him once again to step up and deliver.
Prediction
Barcelona 3-0 Getafe
Barcelona might not have been at their best in the ongoing season, but they are still winning a majority of their games. They might be eight points behind the league leaders, but they are still in the race. However, to defend their league crown, they need to put together a winning streak and hope Real Madrid drop points.
As far as Getafe are concerned, they have had a better overall performance than usual, and they will hope they can get one better over Barcelona away from home. However, their away record suggests they might end up struggling here. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-0 win for the home team.
