Barcelona vs. Getafe: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream and TV Info

Barcelona still find themselves atop La Liga as they entertain Getafe at Camp Nou.

One of their finest performances of the season at Espanyol saw the Blaugrana make light work of their cross-town opponents and ensure that, whatever Real Madrid did against Celta Vigo a day later, Barca would remain as leaders.

Getafe come to town looking to provide one of the shocks of the season and desperate to rid themselves of a wretched Camp Nou record.

Although they managed a draw at the same venue last season, the minnows of Madrid haven't won there in over a decade, per Fussball Wettpoint. In fact, Sport notes that Getafe have never won in Barcelona.

Barcelona will come out all guns blazing and looking to show that the insipid 0-0 draw at Getafe earlier in the season was nothing more than a blip.

Date: Tuesday, April 28

Time: 7 p.m. BST/2 p.m. ET

Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain

TV Info: Sky Sports 5/beIN Sports 1 (USA only)

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK only)/beIN Sports Connect (USA only)

Form Lines

Last Six Results

Barcelona	Getafe
W 2-0 vs. Espanyol	L 0-1 vs. Levante
W 2-0 vs. Paris Saint-Germain	L 0-4 vs. Athletic Club
W 2-0 vs. Valencia	D 1-1 vs. Villarreal
W 3-1 vs. Paris Saint-Germain	W 1-0 vs. Elche
D 2-2 vs. Sevilla	W 2-1 vs. Deportivo La Coruna
W 4-0 vs. Almeria	L 0-2 vs. Atletico Madrid

WhoScored.com

 

Predicted Formations 

B/R Formation Builder.

This is a fixture that offers Luis Enrique the chance to rest one or two of his star players ahead of Barca's Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.

One definite change will come in defence, with Jordi Alba forced to sit this one out after his sending off at Espanyol. Adriano Correia will deputise with his usual solidity.

Marc Bartra will come in to deputise for Gerard Pique, and we may even see a debut for Thomas Vermaelen after the Belgian was finally given medical clearance, per FC Barcelona.

Dani Alves should get the nod ahead of Martin Montoya and look to keep Sergio Escudero's influence to a minimum.

Emilio Morenatti/Associated Press

Xavi will captain the side alongside Rafinha and Sergio Busquets in midfield. Mehdi Lacen and Juan Rodriguez are a tight pairing in the central areas for Getafe, but if Rafinha can get at them and put them under pressure, Barca will profit from Xavi's eye-of-the-needle passing range.

Neymar is likely to be the fall guy in the front three, with Pedro Rodriguez enjoying a rare start alongside Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi.

Claudio Bravo completes the lineup and will look to hammer home his advantage for a well-deserved Zamora award.

Pablo Sarabia needs to support Alvaro Vazquez as well as he ever has before. If he is in among it when there are knockdowns and loose balls, the odd half-chance could fall his way. If he drifts, as he has done through some games, this will be a long, hard 90 minutes in an attacking sense for the away side.

Vicente Guaita has the unenviable task of stopping the Blaugrana from adding to their 91 league goals. A perfectly capable goalkeeper on his day, and one that interested Barca not so long ago, he will nevertheless need a commanding performance from his centre-backs, Naldo and Vigaray, to keep the hosts at bay.

Player to Watch  

Bernat Armangue/Associated Press

Once again this season, Getafe have disappointed in large parts.

Pablo Franco Martin's side have often been moribund as an attacking force, but when they've needed goals, one man more than any other has come up trumps.

Alvaro Vazquez has only seven to his name, but he is by far the most potent of Getafe's players.

He'll have his work cut out against a revitalised Gerard Pique, but if the visitors want to come away with anything from this match, they'd do well to keep supplying the bullets for Vazquez.

Key Battle 

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

Pedro Leon won't beat Adriano Correia for pace, but the Brazilian will have to watch out for the guile and creativity of Getafe's star man.

In an attacking 4-2-3-1 formation, Leon is worth his weight in gold, and if he can isolate Adriano and deliver from the wider areas to Vazquez, in particular, then we might well have a game on our hands.

The more the ex-Madrid man is on the ball, the less chance Barca have to utilize Adriano's pace in the attacking areas and up against the vulnerable Vigaray.

Only three assists and one goal this season evidence that Leon hasn't been at his best during this campaign, but he needs to set the tempo for the visitors to ensure a modicum of success at the very least.

Odds

The following pre-match odds are available, per Odds Shark: 

Home Win: +3,000

Away Win: -2,000

Draw: +1,200